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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 4:57pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Europe '72 Notebook

Sorry for the re-post but I think this place needs a bit of freshening up.... I have always loved the music of the Europe '72 tour. Is there anyone here who doesn't? I will always remember living in Southern France during the spring of 1992. Every afternoon I had to drive two hours on the A9 highway, from a small fishing village near Montpellier to the French/Spanish border town of Port Vendres to buy Bluefin Tuna. I would make the best of the trip each day by rolling a joint of Amsterdams finest, and listening to the Europe '72 album during the long drive in my little Renault. Upon reaching the beautiful walled city of Perpignan I would insert disc two into my player, so that high as a kite, I could enjoy the Morning Dew Prelude while approaching the snow capped Pyrenees Mountains and shimmering Mediterranean Sea. It was a particularly happy and exciting time in my life, and I associate the music from the Europe '72 tour with that period. The music from the Europe '72 tour is unmistakable. The gorgeous tone of Jerry's Nash Strat, Weir's Gibson ES-354 and Phil's "Big Brown" with Keith's Steinway and Pig's B-3 mark a unique and extraordinary moment in the band's history. There can be no disputing the consistently high quality of just about every performance from the tour. But what is it that makes the music from this period so special? How is it that virtually every show, with the exception of Bremen (4/21/72), was performed at such a consistently high level? Was it hypnocracy? The vibe of being in Europe? I believe there are a panoply of reasons; Weir's emergence as a bona fide co-front man for the band, Keith becoming completely comfortable in his position and fully integrated into the group, and Kreutzmann's continued adjustment to performing without Mickey. I think all the new material introduced on the tour certainly added some freshness and may have piqued the interest of the band members. But certainly there was much more to it! Having finally achieved both critical and financial success, the band was in a good place and well rested. The tour was as much a vacation as a working tour. Most importantly, the band was really having fun on the European continent. The twenty-two performances being spread out over two full months allowed the band the really enjoy themselves and make the most of the culture of Europe, getting inspiration from visiting places like Stonehenge, Solsbury Hill, smoking grass in the Gardens of Kent, and playing baseball in Kensington Gardens, while performing in beautiful old theatres like Tivolis Gardens, Jahrhundert Halle and the Strand Lyceum. And of course enjoying all the libations Europe had to offer. Naturally the drugs might have had something to do with it too, along with the freshness of European beer on tap and first growth Bordeaux. As much as I have appreciated this music, for some reason it's rather infrequently that I listen to the performances. And when I do, it's usually the same shows like Wembley, Tivolis and Rotterdam. In an effort to become reacquainted with the music from Europe '72, over the past two months I have fully immersed myself in the twenty-two performances of the tour, re-listening to each show in succession before going back and concentrating on the second set jam segments. Of the many observations I made, one was the contribution of Pigpen. Although he was suffering from the liver disease that would take his life only one year later, his contribution at times is remarkable. And it's not just on songs like Chinatown Shuffle, Two Souls in Communion and his Good Lovin' raps, some of which would turn out to be his final performances. It's the twin keyboard sound of his organ along with Keith's piano that mark some extraordinary and breathtaking passages, particularly during some of the performances of Morning Dew. The finest example of this being the rendition of the song in Munich (5/18/72). I was also impressed by the relatively high level of sound quality on most of the recordings, and particularly the FM broadcasts. The first show in Paris (5/3/72) and the Radio Luxembourg (5/16/72) performance both circulate in phenomenal sound quality. The clarity and brilliance of these two is extraordinary. This was not an easy project to stick with. The material being somewhat limited and the set lists often repetitive. The first sets in particular are largely interchangable. Although the sequences vary somewhat, there is little differentiating the performances of Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Black Throated Wind, etc, etc. from one show to another. The exceptions being Playin' in the Band and Good Lovin'. Though not nearly as stretched out as it would become in 1973, virtually every 12 minute performance of Playin' was excellent and very psychedelic. The first set rendition from Wembley (4/8/72) in particular is a stand out. Though the song opened the second set of a few shows, Good Lovin' was another first set highlight and the superb Wigan (5/7/72) performance is the high-point of that first set. But the second set jams are all extremely rewarding! Each one is entirely unique and compelling. Several are extraordinary and among the finest music that the band has ever performed. Although the tour is known more for it's Dark Stars, Wembley (4/8/72), Rotterdam (5/11/72) and Dusseldorf (4/24/72) being three of the all-time greatest performances of that song, I was struck by the intensity of many of the performances of The Other One. Each version being quite different from the next. The Paris (5/3/72) performance in particular features an extraordinary rendition of The Other One, and the Aarhus (4/16/72) version is rather unique. The greatest joy, however, was in re-discovering some of the less well known or acclaimed performances from the tour. Shows like Newcastle (4/11/72), Lille (5/13/72), Radio Luxembourg (5/16/72), Munich (5/18/72) and London (5/25/72), not regarded as highly as Copenhagen (4/14/72), Frankfurt (4/26/72) and London (5/26/72), are still phenomenal performances. I came away with a renewed appreciation for both performances in Paris, (5/4/72) for its jazzy Dark Star, as well as the incredible show in Amsterdam (5/10/72). There were a few surpises too; Hearing Jerry play the organ on the 5/25/72 Good Lovin' while Weir plays lead guitar was pretty cool. And I was amazed by a few incredibly jazzy jam passages that I hadn't paid close attention to before. The Truckin' from 4/11/72 in particular features a phenomenal bass driven jazz movement during the second instrumental break. I had always avoided listening to the Hamburg (4/29/72) performance because the soundboard was so muddy, only to discover that the Matt Vernon audience recording was actually superior and quite listenable. While 4/14/72 and 5/11/72 had always been my shows of preference, I now regard the extraordinary performance on 5/3/72 as my new favorite from the tour. Because I generally concentrate on jam suites when I listen to the Grateful Dead, the repetitive nature of the first sets from this tour wasn't really that much of a factor for me. However, although I certainly appreciate the consistently high level of energy, creativity and focused musicianship of the performances from the Europe '72 tour, I found the lack of real extended thematic jamming, with the exception of the gorgeous Mind Left Body Jam from from Wembley (4/8/72), to be detrimental. Missing for me also was the blistering primal bare wires intensity that I love from the earlier years. I understand why I dont listen to the performances from this tour quite as much as shows from 1968 -1971 and 1973 -1974. Still it was an extremely enlightening and positive experience, focusing on these performances, and I came away with an increased regard for the music of Europe '72. But, I will continue to prefer the music from my beloved early era just bit more, as well as the extended jamming from '73 and '74. For some reason the Europe '72 tour and its shows don't seem to garner that much attention at this forum. For whatever reason, the subject is rather infrequently discussed here. I recently spent a week helicopter skiing in Alaska. Before I left New York I loaded my ipod with ONLY the twenty-two shows from the tour. I used some of the bad weather time when we couldn't fly to update my notes and revise my scores for these performances. Although it's still a work in progress (and probably always will be due to the magnitude of the material), I'm sharing my notebook now in the hopes it will initiate some discussion here on this important period in the Grateful Dead's history and the incredible music performed on what might be the bands greatest tour ever. What are your thoughts, observations and feelings about this tour and its amazing music? Is this the absolute peak period in the quality of the Grateful Dead's live performances? Or do you find the set lists too repetitive? Is there another tour with such tight execution AND as high a level of creativity? Why do you think it is so consistently excellent? Or do you believe that the performances and music are overrated? What are your favorite shows? Song performances? What do you think about the sound quality of the recordings? The official releases? Ever watch any of the video footage that circulates? Which renditions of Dark Star and The Other One do you enjoy most? What European show would you most like to see as the next official release? Please feel free to correct any errors I have made (I'm sure there are plenty) and to disagree with my opinions. Perhaps you feel a particular transfer/source is superior to one I have chosen, or you prefer a show or song performance, etc? I believe Robword and Snori attended shows from this tour. Perhaps they or any other heads lucky enough to have attended will share their experiences with us? And of course the question remains: Why have we not seen more official releases from this tour and what does the future hold? Peace... 04/07/72 (92*) 04/08/72 (99+) 04/11/72 (94) 04/14/72 (100) 04/16/72 (94) 04/17/72 (96) 04/21/72 (89) 04/24/72 (99+) 04/26/72 (99) 04/29/72 (94*) 05/03/72 (99) 05/04/72 (98) 05/07/72 (98+) 05/10/72 (98) 05/11/72 (100) 05/13/72 (95) 05/16/72 (97) 05/18/72 (96) 05/23/72 (97) 05/24/72 (96) 05/25/72 (97*) 05/26/72 (100) Best Sound Quality: 5/3/72 & 5/16/72 Best Audience Recording: 4/29/72 Most Underrated Show: 5/3/72 & 5/10/72 Most Unique Show: 5/16/72 Best First Set: 5/26/72 Best Official Release: 4/24/72 Show I would most want as the next official release: 4/29/72 or 5/25/72 Best Performance By Pigpen: 5/7/72 Best China/Rider: 5/16/72 Best He's Gone: 5/10/72 Best Playin' in the Band: 4/8/72 Best Good Lovin': 5/25/72 Best Caution: 5/11/72 Best: Truckin': 4/11/72 Best Morning Dew: 5/18/72 Best Sugar Magnolia: 5/4/72 Best Uncle Johns Band: 5/25/72 Best NFA/GDTRFB: 5/23/72 Best Lovelight: 5/7/72 Best Other One: 5/3/72 & 5/10/72 Best Dark Star: 4/8/72 & 5/11/72 Best Thematic Jam: 4/8/72 Jazziest Dark Star: 5/4/72 Scariest Feedback: 4/26/72
This post was modified by Cliff Hucker on 2010-12-16 00:57:10

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Poster:	madmonkmcphee	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 11:25am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

After listening to rockin' the rhein through headphones fairly loudly I've come to the conclusion that this is some of the finest music ever made in the history of the universe. Very high levels of mcphee

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Poster:	Judge TOOTMO	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:26pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

After about 35 minutes, I'm swearin' that I am psychic or crazy. Then I notice the dates of all the replies. heh heh heh.
Good to realize I just don't read instructions very well. So instead of just bookmarking again, I have sent it to some heads I know---who knows maybe we'll get some new blood.

TOOTMO

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Poster:	ringolevio	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:49pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Whew, these re-posts tax my little brain, too. I don't know shit about the music but I keep thinking I've read this before ...

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Poster:	FranklinTowers	Date:	May 7, 2020 8:14am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Hi Cliff,

This is a phenomenal resource that I use frequently when listening to this tour. Thank you for sharing it with us!

Did you ever update your notes after the release of the box set? I'd be curious to see how your assessment changed, if at all, once you were able to make an apples-to-apples comparison of all 22 shows.

I'm also starting a music history podcast, and would love to have you on as a guest sometime to discuss the tour if that sounds like something that might interest you.

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Poster:	bluedevil	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:09pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Excellent repost! Thanks. Off to enjoy some while I begin what will prove to be a long night....

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 1:39am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Finally....I knew you had it in you.

(Unfortunately I'm not up to an E72 discussion today...)

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Poster:	HonestInjin	Date:	Sep 9, 2011 10:16pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Cliff, Now that the entire tour's soundboards have been released, what do you think of the quality and has it affected your choices of favorite songs or shows?

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Apr 25, 2010 8:51pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	MAY

05/03/72 Olympia Theater - Paris, FR

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Sugaree, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Beat It On Down The Line, He's Gone, Next Time You See Me, Playin' In The Band, Tennessee Jed, Good Lovin', Sing Me Back Home, Casey Jones

II ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Ramble On Rose, It Hurts Me Too, Truckin'-> Space-> The Other One-> Drums-> The Other One-> Me And Bobby McGee-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat, Jack Straw, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD masse.142.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 99 pts

("Honeymoon theft" / master reel source = phenomenal sound quality! Thank you Dick R.I.P. The masse.142.sbeok.shnf is exceptional. Very quiet, with superb clarity and separation. This multi-sourced file showcases some of the very best sound quality of the E '72 tour!)


Comments: Could a boxed set of this and the following performance be the next official release from this tour?

Official Release: China/Rider, Tennesse Jed and Jack Straw are on Europe '72.

Taper's Section: Playin in the Band (4/28/08), Good Lovin' (4/30/07), Other One> Drums> Other One> Bobby McGee> Other One> Wharf Rat (5/4/09)

The Other One Schematic: The Other one Jam (9:22) > first verse (0:42) > transitional Jam (0:26) > Bobby McGee (5:31) > spacey Jam (1:52) > the Other one Jam (4:37) > The Other One Jam (1:47) > second verse (0:48) > Wharf Rat


"Olympia Theater in Paris just like the Fillmore East, if anything, a bit more funky. Tradition-riddled place. Everyone keeps saying how special it is because of who's played here: the Stones, the Who, Pfaf, Aznavour...Hallowed ground, but with insufficiant electricity." Rock Scully

Notes: c'est magnifique! A stunningly beautiful performance, the band seems revitalized in Paris. And it doesn't hurt that this music is sourced from the "Honeymoon Theft" tapes! This high-energy show smokes from start to finish, each song exploratory yet flawlessly played. Bertha, China/Rider (on Europe '72), Sugaree and Sing Me Back Home are dynamite. Virtually every song played at this performance is a candidate for best of the tour, with One More Saturday Night and Jack Straw (on Europe '72) being possible best-ever renditions. The second set jam suite is extraordinary; the amazing Other One rivaling the incredible performance in Frankfurt one week earlier. An intense Truckin' slips into an eerily quiet passage before Bobby and Phil again revisit the georgeous theme they explored in Aarhus. This time Phil is a bit more persistent though, eventually leading the way into a more structured Other One Jam. It's all hands on deck before yet another quiet passage featuring some sublime chord by Bob Weir, punctuated by a second jazzy visit to The Other One theme. A drum break preceeds an ultra-jazzy Phil solo accompanied by some snappy drums. This one sounds like Jimy Blanton and Gene Krupa. The balance of the first reprise is a wonderfully jazzy combination of intense Jerry/Keith duets and more lovely Weir/Lesh interplay. Still not finished with the theme, the second verse/reprise follows a soulfull Bobby McGee. NFA> GDTRFB> NFA is superb as well. Another amazing performance and one of the very best shows of the tour! (99 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-03.sbd.masse.142.sbeok.shnf

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-04-may-10-2009






05/04/72 Olympia Theater - Paris, FR

I ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Deal, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line, Brown Eyed Women, Chinatown Shuffle, Playin' In The Band, You Win Again, It Hurts Me Too, He's Gone, El Paso, Big Railroad Blues, Two Souls In Communion, Casey Jones

II ) Good Lovin', Next Time You See Me, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Dark Star-> Drums-> Dark Star-> Sugar Magnolia, Sing Me Back Home, Mexicali Blues, Big Boss Man, Uncle John's Band, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD miller.77294.sbeok.flac16
Sound Quality: A
Score: 98 pts

(Brilliant sound quality, possibly sourced from "Honeymoon" tapes? There are several cuts, but this Rolfe sourced Charlie Miller remaster is still among the very best in sound quality for what circulates from the tour)


Official Release: Sugar Magnolia is on Europe '72.

Taper's Section: Good Lovin' (4/30/07), Dark Star (4/18/08)

Comments: Casey Jones and NFA are cut. Cut at the end of Dark Star. False start on Next Time You See Me.

Dark Star Timing: Dark Star theme/jam (2:19) > spacey Jam (8:58) > transitional Jam (0:23) > first verse (1:50) > Space with drummers (3:25) > 'happy' Jam (1:13) > spacey Dark Star Jam (3:21) > transitional Jam (0:14) > second verse (2:04) > Sugar Magnolia


Notes: Another Parisian masterpiece, this time with an exceptional performance of Dark Star. While the first set is not quite as spectacular as that of the night before, although Mr. Charlie could be a best-ever performance of the song, the second set is another magical moment among many on this tour. Pig's 23 minute Good Lovin' set opener is a fantastic performance. But the high point of this show is of course the moody/exploratory two-part Dark Star split by a drum break, and what is possibly the best Sugar Magnolia of 1972 (on Europe '72). This gorgeous Dark Star soars from the opening notes. It is brilliant and jazzy, sustaining momentum through the entire pre-verse segment. Jerry's playing is particularly inspired. At the 6:00 mark, Billy intiates a snappy jazz beat that drives the ensemble through an extended Coltranesque jam, with Weir slashing in some interesting fills before the verse. The post verse space segment is rather dark and atonal, with some eerie rumblings from Phil before the two and a half minute drum break. Post drums, Phil picks up where he had left off. Things remain spacey and quiet untill 7:15 when Jerry initiates another movement and things get real jazzy again. This one moves quickly for a bit, Jerry blazing before things slow down into a gorgeous UJB type theme jam before the second verse conclusion to one of the jazziest performances of Dark Star on the tour. The following peformance of Sugar Magnolia, used on the Europe '72 is phenomenal. Sing Me Back Home, a lovely UJB, and a start up GDTRFB round out an incedible set. Both of these treasures from France deserve to be boxed and released in their entirety. (98 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-04.sbd.miller.77294.sbeok.flac16

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/april-28-may-4-2008






05/07/72 Bickershaw Festival - Wigan, GB

I ) Truckin', Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Deal, Beat It On Down The Line, He's Gone, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider, Black-Throated Wind, Next Time You See Me, Playing in the Band, Tennessee Jed, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Big Boss Man, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Dark Star-> Drums-> The Other One-> Sing Me Back Home, Sugar Magnolia, Turn On Your Love Light-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: AUD/SBD (composite).clugston.9193.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: B+/A
Score: 98+ pts

(Unfortunately no longer available here, the Clugston composite file of this performance consists of a fair to poor (hissy/noisey) audience recording of the majority of the show, and a very nice quality master reel sourced soundboard recording of the second set jam and the later portion of the set)


Comments: Bill Kreutzmann's 26th birthday. False start on Lovelight. At least segments of this performance exist on film, rumors of an official/commercial release persist.

Official Release: Mr. Charlie, Playin', Good Lovin', Greatest Story, Big Boss Man, Ramble On, Lovelight> GDTRFB are on Steppin' Out.

Taper's Section: Dark Star> Drums> Other One> Sing Me Back Home (5/5/08), Good Lovin' (4/12/10)

Dark Star> Other One Timing: Dark Star theme (4:17) > spacey jam (2:22) > Dark Star theme jam (4:07) > spacey jam (4:05) > Dark Star theme (0:43) > first verse (1:16) > transition to spacey jam (1:04) > space (2:30) > Drums (2:32) > Other One intro (5:09) > Other One jam (2:31) > Other One recue (1:23) > first verse (0:40) > Other One (0:36) > space (14:18) > jam (2:02) > Other One (3:01) > second verse (0:41) > transition (0:10) > Sing Me Back Home


"The crowd had built bonfires around the perimeter of the field to keep warm, but now they piled on the fuel and Bickershaw became a pagan festival, dancers circling the flames, and, in the words of a local writer, the 'Dead had offered safe passage through the wierd terrain.'" Dennis McNally

Notes: A rain sodden and chilly weekend seems to have dampened this festival, though the weather appropriately cleared just before the Dead's show closing performance. Although the sound quality for most of the show renders it rather difficult to enjoy, its obvious why so many songs from this performance were included on the Steppin' Out release. This festival gig was, for the most part, very well played (particularly the second set) and at an extremely high energy level. It also represents Pigpen's finest performance on the tour, and what might be his last great show. The Truckin' opener cooks, while Playin' in the Band, Good Lovin' and the Lovelight> GDTRFB are all great performances. The highlight though, is certainly the phenomenal second set jam suite preserved in master reel source sound quality, featuring both Dark Star AND the Other One. It's the only performance during 1972 to include both songs. Though somewhat abreviated from other Dark Stars on the tour, clocking in at just over 16 minutes, this is a top notch effort nonetheless. The pre-verse theme intro is brilliant. Jerry is soaring! But what really stands out on this one is some rather fine playing by Bobby. His chord-work throughout is gorgeous. It might be his finest contribution to a performance of Dark Star on the entire tour. After a post-verse Space/Drums segment, the band just explodes into The Other One. It's a raging monster performance of the song. Not as jazzy or sophisticated as some of the best versions from the tour, this performance is more primal in nature. At times sounding more like '69 or '70 with a fierce pre-verse attack by Garcia and some amazing swirling organ fills from Pig. After the first verse there is an awesome solo by Phil, perhaps his best of the tour. The space segment continues with Jerry and Weir eventually going atonal. Finally Weir drives the band back into the theme and it catches fire again prior to the second verse. The show concludes with a superb performance of Lovelight, featuring some great slidework by Jerry before another excellent GDTRFB/NFA. If the music of the first set was available in better sound quality, this amazing performance might garner a perfect score. (98+ pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-07.sbd-aud.clugston.9193.sbeok.shnf

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/gd1972-05-07nrps.asx

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-5-may-11-2008






05/10/72 Concertgebouw - Amsterdam, NL

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Black Throated Wind, Loser, Next Time You See Me, El Paso, He's Gone, Chinatown Shuffle, Playing in the Band, Big Railroad Blues, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Big Boss Man, Greatest Story Ever Told, Casey Jones

II ) Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Me And Bobby McGee-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat, Beat It On Down The Line, Two Souls In Communion, Ramble On Rose, Sing Me Back Home, Sugar Magnolia-> Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away


Best Source: SBD .kaplan.1582.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 98 pts

(The MR sourced Greg Hamilton/kaplan.1582.sbeok.shnf is virtually perfect. The sound quality of this recording is amazing. The mix/separation is particularly brilliant)


Comments: Bertha fades in.

Official Release: He's Gone is on Europe '72.


"Amsterdam, where the Concertgebouw was a jewel of a theater, the cocaine was far too good..." Dennis McNally

Notes: Perhaps overshadowed by the monumental performances preceeding and following it, this treasure might be the most overlooked gem of the tour. This vastly underrated show is extremely well played from start to finish. Virtually every song is a standout performance. The sound quality is superb and the mix lively. The separation is excellent making it easy to hear how well both Keith and Bobby are playing. While the highlights include a terrific Bertha opener, an excellent Truckin' and what is possibly the best early performance of He's Gone, the centerpiece of the show is another jazzy and extraordinarily jammed out Other One. This one is as fine as the performances of the song in Frankfurt and Paris. It's highly exploratory, visiting numerous themes over its more than 35 minutes. Erupting out of Drums, from the opening notes this performance of The Other One percolates like a pot of fine Blue Mountain. Extremely jazzy in nature, there are several extraordinary movements. A particularly brilliant passage starts at 4:45, after the jam slows down it gets real smokey with an almost Clementine type theme. Close your eyes and you can imagine being in a jazz club. Ten minutes in, the Other One theme emerges again. After the first verse, it gets spacey, eventually going atonal with some wild notes from Phil before another spectacular jazz segment commences at 20:00. Over the next fourteen minutes, this amazing music covers a ton of ground, never losing momentum. Several times the Other One theme re-emerges but somehow the band avoids the second verse. Instead Phil and Bobby initiate an amazing Dylanesque passage at 32:00. Garcia's playing becomes highly emotive, the music is both haunting and sublime. It's one of the most amazing pieces of music on the entire tour. As if the theme has reached its zenith, with nowhere left to go, they segue into Bobby McGee, before finally completing the journey into the reprise and second verse conclusion to what might be the finest performance of The Other One on the tour. Amazingly, there is another full hour of music left in the set including fantastic performances of Wharf Rat, Sugar Magnolia and a dynamite show closing NFA> GDTRFB> NFA. (98 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-10.sbd.kaplan.1582.sbeok.shnf






05/11/72 Rotterdam Civic Hall - Rotterdam, NL

I ) Playin' In The Band, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Deal, Chinatown Shuffle, Mexicali Blues, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, It Hurts Me Too, Beat It On Down The Line, Brown Eyed Women, Jack Straw, Big Railroad Blues, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) Morning Dew, Me & My Uncle, Two Souls In Communion, El Paso, Tennessee Jed, Next Time You See Me, Dark Star-> Drums-> Dark Star-> Sugar Magnolia-> Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)-> Who Do You Love-> Truckin'-> Uncle John's Band E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD ashley-bertha.7364.sbefail.shnf
Sound Quality: A
Score: 100 pts

(Though it gets just a bit oversaturated at the highest levels, and there is a minimal amount of hiss during the quietest parts, the sound quality of the MR sourced ashley-bertha.7364.sbefail.shnf is excellent and definately superior to the Samaritano transfer)


Comments: Final performance of Caution. 15 beats on BIODTL. Saturday night encore is missing.

Official Release: Chinatown Shuffle is on So Many Roads Boxed Set.

Taper's Section: Caution> Who Do you Love> Truckin' (5/28/07)

Dark Star Timing: Dark Star theme (2:48) > Jam (10:47) > Drum Solo (4:03) > Bass and Drums (1:44) > Spacy Jam (3:13) > Dark Star theme/First Verse (2:30) > Jam (3:40) > Dissonant/Tiger Jam (7:15) > Uptempo Country Jam (1:40) > Uptempo Caution -like Jam (6:00) > Slow tease filled Jam (3:22) > Sugar Magnolia


Notes: A monumental performance, this treasure might be the finest show of the entire tour, if not one of the greatest performances of all time. Every member of the band has brought their A game to Rotterdam, even Pigpen who shines every chance he gets. It's his last chance at Caution, and he makes the most of it, as well as giving a fine effort on Chinatown Shuffle. From the opening moments of the show it becomes apparent that this is going to be special, as the band launches into a dynamite version of Playin' in the Band. Though it only clocks in at 10+ minutes, and it's not as exploratory as the song would get in 1973, it's still a brilliant jazzy rendition as the band twists through the Main Ten theme. Virtually every song extremely well played. Sugaree, Morning Dew and Good Lovin' are all fabulous performances. But certainly all are eclipsed by a 45+ minute Dark Star which has to be considered an opus. At times it's so beautifully played that you might find yourself forgetting to breathe. It's an ultra jazzy oddyssey that you must listen to in a quiet environment with no distractions in order to fully appreciate. Singularly one of the finest moments in the bands history, this one soars right from the opening notes of the theme. 4:30 in, the band briefly locks in on a choppy riff before breaking down into jazzy space. Eventually Jerry steers the band into a quiet passage which eventually takes on a loose Let It Grow theme, Weir slashing in fills. At the 10 minute mark Jerry begins playing a repetitive scale, initating another extraordinary passage lasting untill the drum break. Right out of the drums Phil and Billy collaberate on a sublime Bird Song themed jam that is all too brief before Jerry joins them and gradually guides the jam back to the Dark Star theme and into the first verse. The eleven minute post verse space jam begins with a brilliant duet between Jerry and Phil before things get atonal, gradually building in intensity. The segment turns incredibly wild as Phil detonates an awesome series of explosions, Jerry continuing his attack. The final 11+ minute movement starts out with a fast paced and ultra jazzy passage before briefly aquiring a Caution type theme, Phil returning with a second bombing run. This is followed by another extremely intense Caution themed passage and screaming guitars. By now I imagine the fire alarms had to be going off at the Civic Hall. The concluding passage is beautifully Dylanesque with Pig's swirling organ and some eerie notes from Jerry, finally segueing into Sugar Magnolia. Still there is more to come; a second jam suite featuring a blazing hot Caution> Who Do You Love> Truckin'> UJB. Is there a better performance on this tour? (100 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-11.sbd.ashley-bertha.7364.sbefail.shnf

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-28-june-3-2007-0






05/13/72 Lille Fairgrounds - Lille, FR

I ) Bertha, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser, Beat It On Down The Line, Mr. Charlie, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Me & My Uncle, Big Railroad Blues, Next Time You See Me, Playin' In The Band, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues, Casey Jones

II ) Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> He's Gone, It Hurts Me Too, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD .ladner.3457.sbeok.shnf (complete?) / .miller.21725.sbeok.shnf (partial)
Sound Quality: A-/A+
Score: 95 pts

(The Ladner transfer consisting of the majority of the performance, though hissy, is still an enjoyable listen. The partial miller.21725.sbeok.shnf, consisting only of the second set jam, is superior, possibly sourced from the Taper's section. It's particularly clear, with superb separation, however Phil is a bit low in the mix)


Comments: Free concert. Big River may be missing. The conclusion of the second set is missing?

Tapers Section: Truckin'> Drums. Other One> He's Gone (5/7/07) Bertha, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser (5/12/08)


"...Lille looked like an impressionist painting, cows in the distance, poplar trees in rows, with a little LSD, it wasn't hard to see why Monet and company liked the light in their native country. For Phil especially, it was one of the truly spectacular experiences of a lifetime, as though for an hour or two he lived inside a Seurat or a Cezanne." Dennis McNally

Notes: Back in France for a make up date, the band pulls off another stellar performance. Interrupted by rain, it's not quite as superlative as some of the preceeding shows, however the second set is dynamite. The set opening performance of Truckin' is excellent, featuring some some great licks by Jerry and slashing leads from Weir. Towards the end of the instrumental break you can hear a brief, but unmistakable shot at a Nobody's Jam. The highlight of the free concert is an excellent 28+ minute, sometimes spacey performance of The Other One. The jamming on this one is not nearly as cohesive as the performance in Paris ten days earlier. Still there is some great playing; Weir in particular contributes his trademark slashing leads throughout, and Pigpen adds some eerie organ fills that add to the mood. Following the intense meltdown segment, at about 20:40, there is a compelling movement that contains some brief hints of a Spanish Jam. This is followed by an interesting jam with Billy hammering out a drumbeat and containing some great guitar work from Bobby who comes through the right channel crystal clear. The show ending NFA> GDTRFB, though cut, is terrific as well. Sound quality on the incomplete Ladner transfer is fine, but the partial Miller file is better, possibly sourced from the Taper's Section. It is likely that portions of this performance are missing. (95 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-13.sbd.ladner.3457.sbeok.shnf

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-13.psbd.miller.21725.sbeok.shnf

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-7-may-13-2007






05/16/72 Theatre Hall - LU "Radio Luxembourg"

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Sugaree, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Beat It On Down The Line, It Hurts Me Too, Tennessee Jed, Playin' In The Band, Promised Land

II ) Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Sing Me Back Home, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: FM/SBD.unknown.10353.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 97 pts

(An extremely high quality European bootleg CD of this show called "Dead Deluxe" circulated during the mid-nineties. Regardless of which transfer, the sound quality of this performance is exceptional. In spite of minimal hiss during the quietest parts, this recording is brilliant and cristal clear, with an ultra lively mix and great separation. This is one of the very finest recordings of the tour)


Comments: Performance for worldwide radio broadcast. Big River and Sugar Magnolia are soundchecked.

The Other One Timing: Other one Jam (5:06) > spacey Other one-ish Jam (1:15) > first verse (1:27) > Other one Jam (1:24) > spacey Jam (6:06) > spacey Other one-ish Jam (2:46) > second verse (0:46) > Sing Me Back Home


Notes: Tight as a drum, with perhaps the most well played first set, this might be the most underrated performance of the tour. Though it's a bit shorter, perhaps to accomodate the radio broadcast, sonically it's superior to most shows from the tour excluding only the official releases. Crisp and clear, the live-wire mix is particularly lively and the separation remarkable. The musicianship too is laser focused and precise. Virtually all the songs are extremely well executed and played at a tempo just a bit faster than was normal for the tour, giving it a vibe somewhat unique to the other Europe shows. Highlights include great performances of Bertha, Me and My Uncle with a great solo by Jerry, a fantastic Sing Me Back Home and what might be the best China/Rider of the tour. Weir's leads blaze through the transition into IKYR. Pig's Chinatown Shuffle is likely his best performance of the song on the the tour and Playin' in the Band is also notable. Though it's not quite jammed at the level of the monumental performances in Copenhagen and Rotterdam, the second set jam suite is excellent. Truckin' is exceptional and includes some incredible leads by Garcia. Although it only clocks in at just under twenty minutes, the Other One is an amazing performance. The intro in particular is unbelievable! It is one of the best Other One intros of all time! The intensity level of the first two and a half minutes is off the charts! This one moves rather quickly into the first verse, mainly sticking with the Other One theme and carrying the momentum well. There is a wild post verse passage starting at 11:00, eventually leading to an awesome explosive barrage from Phil, and ultimately some major lengthy sustained notes from Jerry. A jazzy movement follows, with some Spanish Jam hints before Phil drives things back into The Other One theme prior to the second verse climax. The balance of the set is also well played. This is a thrilling performance from start to finish. (97 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-05-16.sbd.unknown.10353.sbeok.shnf






05/18/72 Kongressaal, Deutsches Museum - Munich, DE

I ) Truckin', Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Chinatown Shuffle, Black Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, El Paso, It Hurts Me Too, You Win Again, Playin' In The Band, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) Sitting On Top Of The World-> Me & My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Beat It On Down The Line, Dark Star-> Morning Dew-> Drums-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Sing Me Back Home E: One More Saturday Night*


Best Source: SBD miller.79057sbeok.flac16
Sound Quality: A
Score: 96 pts

(A relatively recent and welcome upgrade for this performance, the MR sorced miller.79057sbeok.flac16 is excellent)


Comments: 10 beats on BIODTL. First ever Dark Star> Morning Dew.

Dark Star Timing: Dark Star theme/jam (10:52) > Restate theme (1:56) > First Verse (1:28) > Spacy Jam (4:45) > Jerry, Phil and Bob (1:25) > Dissonant Scary Jam (5:35) > transition (1:37) > Morning Dew


Notes: Another very strong performance, if somewhat less spectacular (with the exception of Morning Dew). Recent upgrades in sound quality have made this show more enjoyable. It's consistently well played. Stand outs include what might be the best ever performance of It Hurts Me Too and of course the superb performance of Dark Star> Morning Dew, the first time that this combination was played together. The 26 minute Dark Star is superb. It's not as beautiful as the performance of the song at Wembley, or as jazzy as the Rotterdam version. Nor is it as cohesive as the rendition in Copenhagen. Still, it is an excellent and up beat performance of the song that carries its momentum entirely through its duration. The intro theme jam is gorgeous. Following a brief bass solo, there is a lovely duet between Garcia and Weir starting at 7:00 that turns nice and jazzy before soaring back into the pre-verse theme. A second bass solo follows the verse and things get atonal for a while, building in intensity before the first ever segue from Dark Star into Morning Dew. This performance of Morning Dew is unique and extraordinarily beautiful. Although the rendition on 5/23 seems to garner more accolades, this one is just a bit better in my opinion. Jerry's voice is strong and his interpretation here is highly emotive. He really slows it down and turns reflective prior to the refrain. One of the elements that sets the music of the European tour apart is the dynamics of having two keyboard payers. Nowhere is this more apparent than during this gorgeous performance of Morning Dew. Pigpens swirling organ fills really seem to complement Keith's piano work on the beautiful quiet parts. It's one of the high points of the tour. An interestingly placed drum break follows Morning Dew before the band launches into a great Sugar Magnolia. (96 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-18.sbd.miller.79057.sbeok.flac16






05/23/72 Strand Lyceum - London, GB

I ) Promised Land, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Next Time You See Me, Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Me And My Uncle, Chinatown Shuffle, Big Railroad Blues, Two Souls In Communion, Playing In The Band, Sittin' On Top Of The World, Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu, Mexicali Blues, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) Ramble On Rose, Dark Star-> Drums-> Dark Star-> Morning Dew, He's Gone, Sugar Magnolia, Comes A Time, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away-> Hey Bo Diddley-> Not Fade Away E: Uncle John's Band


Best Source: SBD unknown.16089.shnf (complete) / SBD cribbs.32863.sbeok.flac16 (partial)
Sound Quality: A-/A
Score: 97 pts

(The Rex Jackson/GEMS remaster might be the best quality complete transfer of this performance. However it's no longer available here. The unknown.16089.shnf is complete and still available here. It's a satisfactory recording, with perhaps some minimal hiss. The partial cribbs.32863.sbeok.flac16 of the second set jam might be just a touch better for that segment of the performance)


Comments: NRPS opened. First Rockin' Pneumonia.

Officia Release: China/Rider, Sitting On Top of the World, Comes a Time, NFA> Hey Bo Diddley> NFA, UJB, Two Souls in Communion are on Steppin' Out.

Taper's Section: Good Lovin' (5/21/07)

Dark Star Timing: tuning (0:42) > spacey tuning (0:48) > Dark Star theme (1:42) > speedy Jam (4:15) > Slow Spacy Jam (4:40) > Bass and Drums (2:50) > Dark Star Jam (3:50) > Dark Star theme (0:33) > First Verse (1:27) > Spacey Jam (4:50) > Dissonant tigerish Jam (2:30) > Jam (1:40) > transition (1:40) > Morning Dew


"The visine bottles came out, and the levels of LSD consumption went up..." Dennis McNally

Notes: This might be the most overrated show of the tour. That said, it's still a phenomenal performance, much of it available in vault remastered sound quality. The number of songs included on Steppin' Out is a testiment to how well played it is. Although, one could also speculate that perhaps superior performances such as in Rotterdam, Copenhagen and Paris might be being reserved for future official release in their entirety? Regardless, it's a very strong show, particularly for Pigpen who shines brightly on Two Souls in Communion. The set list is one of the most interesting of the tour, including a few rare numbers like Sitting On Top of the World, Rockin' Pneumonia and Hey Bo Diddlley. Several songs such as Comes a Time and Uncle Johns Band are candidates for best of the tour . Obviously cogniscant of how powerful the combination was, the band reprises Dark Star> Morning Dew from the previous performance in Munich. In fact they almost can't wait, breaking it out early in the second set. This thirty minute Dark Star goes a bit further, though. And while it doesnt quite reach the dizzying heights achieved on 4/8, 4/24 or 5/11, it is certainly an exceptional performance. Perhaps not quite as cohesive as those versions, but surely not lacking in intensity. Jazzy, almost from the opening notes, the initial intro theme jam is punchy and upbeat. Another interesting passage developes at 8:00, with Jerry bending and sustaining his notes with Phil rumbling. After a brief drum segment there is another jazzy segment, this time its Weir and Garcia getting together before the verse. A wild space follows before a sublime transition into Morning Dew. Again Morning Dew is an extremely powerful performance, superbly played, perhaps superior to the 5/26 version immortalized on Europe '72, and eclipsed only by the extraordinarily emotive rendition from Munich. The show closing GDTRFB> NFA including a rocking Hey Bo Diddley is likely the top performance of this suite on the tour. (97 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-23.sbd.unknown.16089.shnf

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-23.sbd.cribbs.32863.sbeok.flac16






05/24/72 Strand Lyceum - London, GB

I ) Cold Rain & Snow, Beat It On Down The Line, Mr. Charlie, Deal, Me & My Uncle, It Hurts Me Too, Dire Wolf, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Playin' In The Band, You Win Again, Jack Straw, Casey Jones

II ) Rockin' Pneumonia, Mexicali Blues, Black Peter, Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Sing Me Back Home-> Sugar Magnolia, Turn On Your Love Light-> The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion) E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: AUD pye-jones.harper-sirmick.87027.flac16 (incomplete) / SBD unknown.91509.flac16 (2nd set partial)
Sound Quality: B-/A
Score: 96 pts

(This entire performance may not circulate in its entirety. The incomplete audience recording sirmick.87027.flac16 is rather poor in sound quality and difficult to enjoy. The partial second set Andy Lemieux remastered soundboard recording unknown.91509.flac16 is quite good)


Comments: NRPS opened. Final Pigpen Lovelight. Mexican Hat Dance tuning before Truckin'. There are a number of cuts in the first set. Sing Me Back Home Fades. Sugar Magnolia is cut. Lovelight> Two Souls and Saturday Night are missing.

Official Release: Hurts Me Too and You Win Again are on Europe '72. Cold Rain and Snow, Mexicali Blues, Black Peter, Chinatown Shuffle and Rockin' Pneumonia are on Steppin' Out. Lovelight> Two Souls in Communion in on the Rockin' the Rhein release.

Taper's Section: Truckin'> Drums> Other One> Sing Me Back Home (5/25/09) Rockin' Pneumonia (3/8/10)


Notes: Another rather difficult performance to score. If the complete show was available in the sound quality of the Andy Lemieux remaster it would undoubtedly garner a score a couple of points higher. Although a number of songs from this performance have been included in official releases, the incomplete show is only available in poor audience recordings and unfortunately several songs are cut, and a significant portion of the second set is entirely missing. Luckily a partial recording including the compelling second set jam is available as a very good quality soundboard. Following the neat Mexican Hat Dance tuning jam, Truckin' seems a bit rushed. But the thirty-minute performance of The Other One, though somewhat dissonant at times, is nicely jazzy and contains some brilliant passages. It's a rather edgy version, largely driven by Phil's bass lines. A gorgeous jazzy theme developes about three and a half minutes in, but unfortunately it breaks down prematurely. At 6:30, both guitars lock in on a great duet, Garcia and Weir sounding not unlike Duanne and Betts during this extended passage prior to the first verse. An atonal space segment follows, but Phil pushes this into a nice jazzy groove starting at 17:30. A Caution-like theme developes before a another spacey jam with sustained keyboard effects. Once again it's Phil bass driving the band back into The Other One theme prior to the second verse conclusion. Pig's following performance of Lovelight> Two Souls is excellent. Unfortunately, most of the balance of the set is missing. Against the extraordinarily high level of the performances preceeeding this one, it pales somewhat in comparison. But in truth this is a dynamite show! The second set jam as well as the material included on the official releases is certainly quite compelling. (96 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-24.pye-jones.harper-sirmick.87027.flac16

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-24.sbd-pset2.unknown.91509.flac16

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-25-may-31-2009






05/25/72 Strand Lyceum - London, GB

I ) Promised Land , Brown Eyed Women, Big Boss Man, Black Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Mr. Charlie, Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider, Me And Bobby McGee, Good Lovin', Playing In The Band, Brokedown Palace, Casey Jones

II ) Me And My Uncle, Big Railroad Blues, Chinatown Shuffle, Ramble On Rose, Uncle John's Band -> Jam -> Wharf Rat -> Dark Star -> Sugar Magnolia, Comes A Time, El Paso, Sittin' On Top Of The World, Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad-> One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD .miller.87682.sbeok.flac16 (incomplete)
Sound Quality: A-/A
Score: 98 pts*

(Although the relatively new but incomplete Eaton sourced miller.87682.sbeok.flac16 is rather hissy during the quiet portions, it's still highly enjoyable, and we are quite lucky to have it. The audience recordings that circulated prior to its availability were rather poor in quality)


Comments: NRPS opened. Final Pigpen Good Lovin'. Garcia plays organ during intro of Good Lovin'. Tennesse Jed, Playin' in the Band and Sugar Magnolia are cut. Comes a Time, El Paso, Sitting On top of the World, GDTRFB> One More Saturday Night are missing.

Tapers Section: Uncle John's Band> Wharf Rat> Dark Star> Sugar Magnolia (5/25/09)

Dark Star Timing: Opening theme/Jam (8:25) > Spacey and dissonant Jam (6:00) > Jazzy Jam (2:06) > tiger Jam (7:32) > Sugar Magnolia transition (0:40) > Sugar Magnolia.


"Acid madness of epic proportions in full swing." Rock Scully

Notes: Perhaps the last great performance by Pigpen. Only relatively recently has a more comprehensive, but still incomplete soundboard recording of this fantastic performance become available. Sadly, a good chunk of the second set of this excellent concert is still missing. Although the show gets off to a bit of a slow start, by the middle of the first set things start to heat up. The 17 minute, last Pigpen performance of Good Lovin' is phenomenal. It features a nice smokey jam and some extraordinary lead guitar by Weir. Is that really Garcia playing organ during the intro? Playin' in the Band is typically psychedelic. It's one of the better performances of the song on the tour, the band starting to stretch it out a bit. The highlight of the show of course, is the incredible second set jam sequence and another amazing performance of Dark Star. A great Uncle John's Band kicks off the suite, possibly the best of the tour. But it's during the jam prior to Wharf Rat where the music really takes off. It's an amazing rendition of the song, highly emotive, and perhaps the best performance of Wharf Rat on the tour. Once again we are treated to monumental performance of Dark Star. This exploratory performance covers a great deal of ground during the almost 17 minutes prior to the first verse, much of it is quite jazzy. The snappy opening theme jam in particular is dynamite, and an intense spacey jam punctuated by some wild bass chords preceeds the first verse. After the verse, at about 18:30, a rather amazing bass driven jam developes with some very cool interplay between Billy, Keith and Phil. Eventually Weir leads the band into a beautiful Feelin' Groovy Jam that lasts several delightful minutes before things get rather wild, Phil producing some rather interesting sounds prior to things melting down into a dizzying space segment. Unfortunately, the conclusion of the performance is missing after Sugar Magnolia. You might think that after two months on the road, the band might show more evidence of fatigue or a lapse in creativity, however this is a tremendous show. Will we ever hear the complete performance? (98 pts*)

*If the new soundboard recording contained the complete show, this performance might garner a perfect score!

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-25.sbd.miller.87682.sbeok.flac16

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-25-may-31-2009






05/26/72 Strand Lyceum - London, GB

I ) Promised Land, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Loser, Next Time You See Me, El Paso, Dire Wolf, Two Souls In Communion, Playin' In The Band, He's Gone, Cumberland Blues, Jack Straw, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away

II ) Truckin'-> Jam-> The Other One-> Drums-> The Other One-> Jam-> Morning Dew-> The Other One-> Sing Me Back Home, Me & My Uncle, Ramble On Rose, Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD waddell.89641.sbeok.flac16 (GEMS)
Sound Quality: A-/A
Score: 100 pts

(All four of the available MR sourced transfers here are more or less comparable in sound quality. There is just a minimal amount of hiss. More so on Matt Vernon's remaster, though it may also be just a touch more brilliant. I went with the Todd Evans sourced GEMS remaster, but the difference in quality is inconsequential)

Comments: NRPS opened.

Official Release: Truckin' /Epilogue and Prelude/Morning Dew are on Europe '72. Jack Straw is on Steppin' Out.

The Other One Timing: Other one Hints (0:15) > Jam (3:55) > Other One (0:39) > Bass (0:57) > Other One (2:45) > Spacey Drum Jam (2:00) > Other One (4:40) > Drums (2:19) > Other One (0:46) > first verse (0:40) > Other One (0:52) > Prelude (10:02) > Morning Dew (9:37) > Other One (4:52 )> second verse (0:50) > Sing Me Back Home


"He's playing with his back to the audience, tears streaming down his face, the music playing the band...Ecstacy on every level." Dennis McNally on Jerry during the Prelude sequence prior to Morning Dew

Notes: A monumental performance, the band has pulled out all the stops for their last show of the tour. The nineteen song 2+ hour first set, perhaps the finest of the tour, is a monster, featuring fantastic performances of Cumberland Blues, Jack Straw, China/Rider, Playin' in the Band and a surprise Dire Wolf. Concluding with a jammed out NFA> GDTRFB> NFA, this set on its own would have been a great show. But of course the band still has a bit of magic left in the tank, the second set comencing with a jam suite right off the bat. This one will sound very familiar with the incredible Truckin' and Morning Dew immortalized on Europe '72 split by an epic 35+ minute, largely percusion driven performance of The Other One which gets reprised twice. The post Truckin' "Epilogue" is phenomenal. Seamless, it's difficult to discern where Truckin' ends and The Other One begins, Jerry and Keith are locked in so tightly. A brief but intense bass solo preceeds the intro theme. After a great drum solo the theme fires up again. Keiths playing is extraordinary here. During a brief segment just prior to the first verse he sounds like Steve Winwood. The following ten minute post-verse "Prelude" to Morning Dew is one of the most compelling passages that the band has ever played. After the phenomenal performance of Morning Dew the band finds their way back into The Other One. Three minutes into second reprise there is some rather cool interplay between Weir and Garcia which its followed by a brief but sublime duet between Pigpen and Keith that must be heard to be believed. Simply beautiful, it's an amazing conclusion to this epic tour. (100 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-05-26.sbd.waddell.89641.sbeok.flac16

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Poster:	Capt. Cook	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 3:56pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Cliff, I agree wholeheartedly about the Paris Run in early May as being a bonafide Boxed Set. The Truckin>The Other One sequence right through a great Jack Straw and Wharf Rat is maybe the set of the tour, on equal with the Strand 26th Truckin>The Other One, and better than the version released on Steppin' Out. The Paris shows have a slow and unrushed quality to them, with some great improv... Excellent post that I will revisit often...

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 4:18pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

David Lemieux actually hinted at a '72 Paris Box in May of last year when he included the jam suite from the first night in his Taper's Section. Even going as far as suggesting a bonus disk from the Lille performance...

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/may-04-may-10-2009

No doubt the two Paris performances would make a great boxed set, however they are available in excellent sound quality. I would prefer to see a release of a show like 4/29, which is only available as a poor quality SBD or decent AUD. Or perhaps 5/25 which does not circulate as a complete performance.

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Poster:	elbow1126	Date:	Apr 27, 2010 6:10am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

"Hopefully some day we’ll see a France ’72 album released featuring music from these two shows, plus Lille on 5/13/72."

Not sure I would interpret this as a boxed set of the shows. Sounds more like a Steppin' Out style release to me. I would welcome either format although I am not going to keep my hopes up. Lemieux makes these comments fairly frequently and I think they are more his opinions and less what is actually happening.

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Poster:	deadmax	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 5:22pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Hey Cliff. Coincidentally I've been doing the exact same thing. I echo everything you've said and want to post more about it but It's almost time to leave work and I want to get this in while someone is paying me to do it.

I agree that the first sets are all pretty much identical with a few stand-out performances of PITB and Good Lovin. Also, I think one of the songs that crackles every single time is Mr. Charlie. Pig is indeed at his best.

I also found the same as you did about the 5/3 show. I'm posting my thoughts on it below.



05-03-72 Olympia Theater, Paris, France (Wed)
1: Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Sugaree, B. T. Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat> I Know You Rider, BIODTL, He's Gone, Next Time, Playin, Tennessee Jed, Good Lovin, Sing Me Back Home, Casey Jones

2: Greatest, Ramble On, Hurts Me Too, Truckin> Jam> Other One Jam> Other One> Drums> Bass> Other One Space> Bobby McGee> Other One> Wharf Rat, Jack Straw, Sugar Magnolia> NFA> GDTRFB> NFA
E: Saturday Night

"China Cat," "I Know You Rider," "Tennessee Jed," and "Jack Straw" appear on "Europe '72"

They are on for this show too. Seems to be and epidemic that they just bring it every night. 5 songs selected for the Europe Album? First set is real good but it's the PITB that takes the honors but SMBH gets a best placed song award. Good Lovin is a boogie-woogie extravaganza with more raps from Pig than you can count. Their playing is all you could ever ask for. The second set starts with a scorching GSET. Truckin is good but its the 42 min of non-stop playing from the jam through the final Other One that you really come for. Lots of jazz and solos and extreme weirdness. Segues are mind-blowing. The outro to Wharfrat is beautiful. Then final trifecta of NFA>GDTRFB>NFA is the GD at their best in playing wonderful American music that had to have all those Parisians on their feet twisting their spines every which a way. At the end of this show I'll bet they were all French Toast.

BERTHA starts us off very strong but all of these shows have started strong MAMU is good. MR. CHARLIE like all of them really takes the fire and stokes it a bit, some really great stuff from Pig and the boys. I thought SUGAREE would actually go somewhere but it doesn't but it is still very good. BT WIND has not been as good as it's going to be. CHINATOWN SHUFFLE is very well played. We know that CHINA/RIDER appear on Europe '72 and for good reason. HE'S GONE is still not the sweet ballad-type thing it is going to become. NEXT TIME is good. PITB can't help but be on fire. They really go places and give it it's own sound and in this one it sounds like they are finding their way and getting it the way they want it. This is a top-tier version. TENNESSEE JED is also on Europe '72. GOOD LOVIN comes next and it definitely has the boogie-woogie beat to it with plenty of high-hat. The JAM that starts at 2:45 gets real bendy and twisty. They are exuding power and muscle and are definitely handling their instruments. I think I can here "It" at many times especially in the jazzier parts. The build-up around 8:23 has lots of potential to really pop but it builds up then comes back down without much hoopla, they get real loose while Pig lays down a rap I haven't heard before. It's about wandering too long and now he wants to ride but he is speaking the words not singing them. Around 11:00 they start coming back and he starts being more musical and they are starting to bring the song back to its glory. They build and build and build and Jerry is really playing then Bobby comes in with a nice rhythm and they are sailing now while Pig is still rapping. At 13:50 we get the familiar Good Lovin riffs and they are getting ready to bring the whole thing back around. We come back to the actual song and things are very good. SING ME BACK HOME is perfect here as a little pause between the crazies. CASEY JONES is good but not as good as others this tour.

GSET opens the 2nd set. The jam goes places you can only imagine. Just spectacular stuff with the hard-on jamming they do in this song. Everyone gets pleased by this one. RAMBLE ON ROSE is really big but it doesn't get growly the way I like for it to get. I really like it when Jerry really accentuates the "Take you to the leader of a BAN-AN-AN-AND!!!!! But that doesn't happen here but the playing itself is quite excellent. HURTS ME TOO is extremely soulful and heart-wrenching. I might like this one better than the one on the album because it is so gritty and bluesy but it is a bit slower and they might have wanted it to jump a little bit for the official release. This version is lit with a big dose of "It" and it is a wonder to behold. The Mighty Blues! The crowd seems to approve. TRUCKIN is rauckus and big and does all the things that Truckin should do. This dissolves into a really nice JAM that is slow but not really spacey, but it IS spacey, it's just hard to say what this is but it's fun to listen to. Keith tries to jazz it up but the others want nothing of it. About 3:45 in Phil starts to be prominent in the mix then everything just ... stops. They are barely playing now. It's like they just got these instruments and they are trying to see what they are able to do. At 6:30 Phil tries to sound the Other One beacon but the other guys are doing their own things. He keeps on trying and trying. They are answering his call but not with the Other One. Around 7:40 it sounds like they've decided to head on into The Other One and they are all clearly going in that direction and the audience believes them. Apparently though they aren't ready and they veer off into lands that sound a lot like TOO but are, in fact, not. It sure is a lot of fun though and reminds me of 4-16 where they hinted at TOO for a long time but just didn't play it. Bob and Phil have a bit of a duet and it seems Jerry has left the stage but hope is renewed and they indeed begin THE OTHER ONE and Jerry comes back to the stage. This is not the pounding opening the Phil usually does but it is the one that kind of skates all around the song before actually going into it. They really take this up and up and up and play it well and Phil sounds like he is just bustin to play this thing. This is a solid lead in with all of them coming together to play cohesive pandemonium and the sound they produce is ecstatic. They finally launch into the first verse then quickly descend into DRUMS. This is a pretty steady Drums and almost seems like a distraction, then, at around 3:30 Phil joins in and it's a Drum and Bass duet and very nicely done. A Phil solo is always welcomed. The then go back into THE OTHER ONE SPACE or at least a jam that sounds like TOO. Things get jazzy real quick then the OO theme picks back up and they go "out there" for awhile then come back then go back. At 3:20 is some really beautiful stuff. Starting around 5:00 it sounds like it's the drummer and Keyboard's turn for a break because we get Jerry doing some real outer space stuff while Bobby and Phil try to give him a soft place to land. Or not. They get to really noodling A LOT and really getting "out there" again and it seems Jerry could do this indefinitely so Bobby starts playing ME AND BOBBY MCGEE over top of Jerry and makes for a sublime segue This could seem misplaced here but actually sounds like a very welcome reprieve from the weirdness. They play it expertly then launch into the second verse of THE OTHER ONE. It might be me, but by now I don't care if they play it or not, but they do and it is very good. They FINALLY end TOO and all of it's teases into WHARFRAT. This is a good WR and it does a lot of the things you want this song to do. But it is the outro jam on this one that is really special, they take it around for a little bit then just end the song on an up note. Very different. Jack Straw would come next but it's not on my recordign so instead we get SUGAR MAGNOLIA. This is a standard, very good version with a really nice jam. SSDD is not real long but we get some cat calls from Bobby. When they end it you hear a definite Caution riff but they quickly turn it into NFA. This sounds like a mature version of the Skullfuck version, maybe a little tamer but rollicking never-the-less. Nice hearing the piano and the organ at the same time. This is really a flawless version with a nice jazzy riff by Keith right before the transition into GDTRFB. Of course, they rip this up and take no prisoners. This show just keeps going and going and going. They experty play the crap out of this then take it back into NFA to wrap the show up and it has been been quite a show. OMSN takes us home and not a song has been even average.

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 6:12pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Nice review... I thought you were going to be doing this & posting a big sum-up for all these Europe '72 shows! Still working on that?

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Poster:	deadmax	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 7:45pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Yes well, (sheepishly grins), I was. I have them all written up but I don't like the way they sound and I am frankly a little bit unsure of what to say about them. They are all stellar shows, with a few minor exceptions, but they are all very much the same as far as the song lists go. Of course though, the music varies very much in the jamming. So Cliff really nailed it when he said the first sets are almost identical but the jamming is where you can really hear that they are playing off of each other and each one is very special.

It's a hard era to pin down with words. My 13-year-old daughter says it's better because the tempo is more steady and the beat stays the same throughout all of their pieces. She says it is just beautiful music that stands alone for itself. In other words, words really don't suffice for this era. It just is what it is and that is good enough.

I will post though, as inadequate as my reviews are for this era.

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 8:30pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Well, I'm a notorious first-set-skipper myself (I don't have much time), and the set IIs are where most of the action is, aside from the stray Playing in the Band or Good Lovin'.

I think it would be useful, and not redundant, if you posted your reviews as well. Between your reviews and Cliff's it would be like a stereo word-matrix...
Heck, I don't like my show descriptions at all, but I keep putting 'em up anyway in case someone gets something out of them.
The way I see it, reviews like these serve a couple good functions - they help newcomers see where the highlights are, and they help familiar old-time listeners 'relive' the jams (or remember when those moments were). And sometimes it's illuminating to see how differently someone else hears something.
(One challenge of these types of jams, is they can sound quite different when you re-listen, depending on your mood or focus - there's always more happening than you can hear.)

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Poster:	deadmax	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 9:28pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: MAY

Yes, well, I certainly get a lot out of your reviews and enjoy every single one (even if I don't post about it)(because I have nothing to add) and can see where even if a person doesn't like their own review, it is a different set of ears for someone else and might turn them on to something they hadn't heard before.

LiA, I love the insight you bring to a review that slipped by me because I was tripping the light fantastic while you were listening - intently - to what each musician was doing. I like the different perspective that brings a whole new meaning to something I might be quite familiar with. In my own way of course. So I see your point and am not really ashamed of my reviews so post them I will and let them stand for whatever paltry existence they unfold.

It seems that many people can review one particular show and each one is idiosyncratic to each reviewer and each one shines a different-angled stage light on the show that was not seen by anyone else in attendance.

Cliff, you've done a stupendous job with this and I commend you on the effort and talent that has gone into this.

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 1:09pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Europe '72 interview

It's been posted before, but since it's 4/26, perhaps I should include in this thread the interview Lesh & Weir gave on the release of Hundred Year Hall - they talk a little about the tour, though not much about the music...

http://www.levity.com/gans/hyh.html

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Poster:	dark.starz	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 8:03pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

- A Plethora of fun in the 70'S -

Ah yes, to arrive in the womb of the Concertgebouw, the holy grail, what a night, what a life!

99.9% of us were unlucky enough not to attend the shows in Europe during the hot Spring Tour of 1972. The Academy of Music shows in March were just a glimpse of what was to come, on the heels of some great fall 1971 performances.

The early 1970's found the Band performing in many classic American halls. Music Hall Boston, Auditorium Theater Chicago, Fox Theatre St Louis & Atlanta. Many competent University Halls eventually evolved (declined) to several race tracks, gymnasiums and stadiums.

Phil and Jerry's passion, Bill Grahams connections.

"Lucky enough to be too young for Vietnam", "old enough for rock n roll!"

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Poster:	rdenirojb87	Date:	Sep 26, 2011 7:01pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

This thread has been a great read to accompany listening to the E72 box. Thanks for all the time you took to review these shows Cliff.

Are your opinions of the shows still the same as they were? are 04/14, 05/11, and 05/26 still your favorites?

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Sep 26, 2011 8:00pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

after listening to the entire boxed set, my opinions of these shows is unchanged for the most part. The performance in Paris on 5/3//72 is still my favorite show of the tour.

Disk three of the 5/11/72 Rotterdam show is the best disk of the entire box. It just might be the greatest disc of music that the Grateful Dead have ever released.

I find the vault remaster of the Lille show (5/13/72) to be overproduced. The Bertha-Ashley soundboard captures the vibe of this free outdoor show much better than the box.

Likewise, the vault remaster of the Radio Luxembourg (5/16/72) performance fails to capture the super high intensity of the extreme high wattage transmission, with much of the tremendous intensity of this performnce lost in the vault remaster. The unknown 10353.sbeok.shnf soundboard is superior to the box as well.

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Poster:	rdenirojb87	Date:	Sep 26, 2011 8:31pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

thanks again. that 47 min ds amazes me more and more with each listen and the caution has to be the best post-60's caution. perhaps the best ever.

interesting about the ashley board being better than the official release. not surprising though. a lot of ashley recordings have some of the best sound mixes i've ever heard on anything.

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Poster:	jerrys beard	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 1:13pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Great analysis of an incredible period of GD music. Thanks man!

I'm at work (lunchtime), have no brain for specific dates, so rather than try and throw my "favs" out, I would like to echo one of your reasons for the European tour being so good, especially the second sets...Keith...pure and simple. I agree with all your other points, but find this to be the most compelling for me.

Pig was still with the band and had some strong moments. The addition of Keith's piano playing took the Dead to a place to which they didn't usually go (Tom C notwithstanding) and that has made the difference for me. I've been cruising through DPs for a while and while none are from the European tour a few are from 72. Rockin' the Rhein and Steppin' Out have seen a pretty good rotation, although mainly second set stuff and it holds up incredibly well.

Thanks for the post, gives me a reason to really focus instead of yelling "Squirrel!"

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Poster:	Dudley Dead	Date:	Apr 27, 2010 8:28am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Thanks , awesome overview ! Ditto what everyone else has said !
As much as I was happy to get "Steppin' Out", It saddens me that, for the near future , it precludes some of these shows coming out in more compete form .
If they were going to do this , I wish they would have stuck with a set taken from either the April shows , OR the May shows .
Count this unlikely, but they could easily do a Vol. 2 ( "Steppin' In"?) .

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Poster:	William Tell	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:44pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

I couldn't agree more.

Thx, I may even have to move a yr out of my self made rut as a result.

Good job, shark man!

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Poster:	elbow1126	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 5:44am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Great post Dennis. I have been listening to 4-24 and Steppin' Out (especially disc 4!!) quite a bit over the last month and mixing in some other E72 shows as well. I really don't have much to add other than I also tend to listening to '71 or '73-74 quite a bit more than '72 and I think it is also in part because of the first sets being somewhat formulaic in nature during this tour. And while I love Two Souls, I have never been a big fan of Chinatown Shuffle so Pig's new songs were kind of a push for me. I wrote a post about this some time back and I think JOTS made a the great observation that the consistent play of the tour was probably inspired by playing in the great old halls however I think you are also correct that this was as much a family European vacation for the band and the folks they took along and that relaxed atmosphere and schedule of the shows likely influenced the great playing. In an interview with Jerry that was posted here a week or so ago he said the trip was planned as a vacation and the reason they recorded it was basically to pay for that vacation.

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Poster:	William Tell	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 7:40am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: CLIFF wins again...

Great post CLIFF! Looks like you and LiA are neck and neck for "Forum Historical Accounts Masters" awards/titles/accolades... Agree with you and elb that the family vacation/good time tour approach was important to them (ahem, though as you all know, I don't listen to live shows from 72, I DO listen to the album and its studio esque vocals fairly regularly...). At least all that I read about that time period, back in the day (ie, 73-75), commented on this "change in touring" being important to them, and of course, it fits after seeing that 70 and 71 had been a couple of tough yrs for them in terms of managerial issues, record co. issues, $$ issues, and plain old work issues (#s of shows). I always thought it was "nice" that they all decided (all--I assume) that this should be something of a "break" from all of that, and since so many of you agree about the music, it's too bad that the approach wasn't used more often later in the band's timeline...? Maybe some of you would agree that the hiatus in 74-75 did in fact have a similar outcome, but that would mean that the studio and live shows of 75-77 were outstanding, right? That the "hiatus" helped achieve that outcome? Suppose it did for all that rank 77 as a peak year. So, perhaps those familiar with the 80s and 90s could better judge if similar sorts of breaks (though those for medical reasons might be apples and oranges) had similar impacts on the quality of the subsequent, post-break shows?
This post was modified by William Tell on 2010-04-26 14:40:44

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Poster:	steam locomotive	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 11:09am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: CLIFF wins again...

Beautiful stuff. This is like coming home for me. Hundred Year Hall was the first Dead album I ever got (Garcia had just passed and it seemed like a good time to get into the band).

In retrospect it was an ideal first choice. They were just so tight on that tour. I've since become more of a '73-'74 fan (like many others), but I would say that Europe 72 material is probably the best entry point for the more adventuresome new listener.

I would just add that the Lovelight > GDTRFB from HYH remains one of my favorite passages in their repertoire. I've now listened to variations from all over that tour and this version still stand out to me. Maybe it's like women: you never forget your first.

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Poster:	Judge TOOTMO	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 8:05pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: CLIFF wins again...

"Hundred Year Hall was the first Dead album I ever got (Garcia had just passed and it seemed like a good time to get into the band)."

In the last 3 minutes, I have had 5 different opinions on this line---it's heavy.

Welcome,
TOOTMO

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Poster:	Jim F	Date:	Apr 27, 2010 12:28am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: CLIFF wins again...

I don't have the time to get into discussing this tour at length, it'd take hours. Every year in April and May I try to listen to as much as I can, though this year I haven't been as faithful. Probably because the weather has been too crappy to ride my bike, which is one of my favorite places to listen to music, esp music from this tour. Though I agree with the general consensus that first sets are interchangeable, and are generally skipped by me. The "bad" thing though is that if you give em a listen, they are all great! You'll always leave satisfied with any of them. Never such consistency over such a relatively long period of shows in both the jamming and the shorter material.

In short, as today was the anniversary, you cannot deny the sheer power of 4/26. I personally feel that the Truckin>Other One and the Lovelight>GDTRFB are 2 of the absolute greatest moments the band ever had. Those kind of jams that you put up there with something like the 2/27/69 Dark Star, or the 2/18/71 "Beautiful Jam." GD 1972 telepathic jazz at it's finest. Such a shame that Pig's organ is absent in the mix, though. Still, the Truckin>Other One from that night is for me, the best of Europe.

As for Dark Star, I think you have to give it to 4/8. Not that say 5/11 isn't perfect in every way either. I dunno, I declare a tie.

My other favorite thing about Europe 72 is the powerful return of Caution (gotta also give it up for the "practice run" of it in New York in March). People spend the most time discussing the various 11 Dark Stars from the tour, and the number of thrilling Truckin jams/Other Ones, but you can't dismiss the Caution's. The Caution's from 4/8 and 5/11 are some really, really unique pieces of music. Basically you take the love of intensity in every 68/69 Alligator/Caution lover, and throw in that Europe 72 magic, and the result is some pretty powerful stuff. And like all the Good Lovin's, especially 4/14's, you get Pig doing some fantastic rapping. How can you not love lines like "expeditionary forces on a 4 day creep" and "Had to keep a bucket of grease by the bed."

Anyway, basically, you have everyone playing their best. You have Keith at his best in his career with the band. you have Billy feeling comfortable as ever as the sole drummer and playing with a crazed intensity that just has to be explained by cocaine. Bobby's rhythm is at it's best, with him seeming to read everything going on around him and being a few steps ahead of the band, playing perfect chords that fit uncannily as if he knew what was going to happen. And finally you have Jerry and Phil, completely locked in and playing in synch.

Just some of my opinions, kept relatively brief.

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Poster:	snori	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 7:39am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Wow, Cliff. What a great post. Sadly I couldn't attend any of these European shows, but I have spent quite a lot of time with them since I found the Archive. A while ago I tried an experiment where I listened to the excellent Archive of Music run in '72 and some of the Europe tour to see if there was a notable 'lift' in the latter as had been claimed. My conclusion was that there's not a great difference between the first sets, probably for the reasons you mention about their similarity. (though I think GSET from 21/3 is one of the best). There's more banter in the European first sets, mostly lighthearted, they're clearly enjoying themselves, which comes across in the music. The second sets are markedly different though, they stretch themselves a little further than the A.O.M. shows. The Dark Star from 8/4 justifies it's reputation, and both Other One and Dark Star appear in a greater variety of combinations. My guess is that they're getting a good reception and feeling confident enough to try out new things. The most impressive aspect of the European tour for me is that after 8 weeks they can still turn in a show as amazing as 26/5, my favourite of the tour just ahead of 14/4. Honorable mention for the first set from 16/5 which we poor little UK Deadheads had to listen to on the terrible fluctuating sound of Radio Luxemburg. There are some who think this added another dimension to PITB. Cliff have you ever applied your rating system to that Academy of Music run ?
This post was modified by snori on 2010-04-26 14:39:44

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Apr 27, 2010 12:30am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

I only have incomplete notes on four of the performances from the '72 Academy run. I think that I have not put a great deal of effort into reviewing this run because several of the shows only circulate as very poor audience recordings...


3/22/72 - I believe the only music I have from this performance is Playin' in the Band and the second set jam sequence (Sugar Mag> Caution> Jam> UJB). This from the Rockin' the Rhein bonus disc which I have not listened to in quite a while. I'm going to have to check this out again soon. It's pretty amazing!


3/23/72 - The fantastic Dark Star from this show was also on that bonus disc.


3/25/72 - I have always loved this show! Especially the jammed out Bo Diddley set which I posted about last month. I score this show out at 98 points and rate it in the top fifteen or twenty of 1972.

http://www.archive.org/iathreads/post-view.php?id=299254


3/28/72 - Most of this show is on DP# 30. A pretty good performance of The Other One. I scored this out at 95 points, likely due to vault sound quality. Also have not listened to this in a while.


You bring up a good point. I know GhostofPig will agree that it's a great stand that deserves some attention. I believe all this music is in the vault. Lemieux has used some of it at the Taper's Section...

http://www.dead.net/features/february-4-february-10-2008

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/march-24-march-30-2008

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Poster:	ganges	Date:	Apr 25, 2010 10:34pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Hi Cliff, this is an amazing and great post, there's so much in it and I thank you for this, I'll have to dive into it for a while.

I was fortunate enough to attend 2 shows from this classic tour, Frankfurt and Munich, 4-26 (38 years ago TODAY, we young hippies drove our VW bus up from the south of Germany) and 5-18 and I was really Grateful to finally have a chance to see the band over here. I'm not as knowledgeable as many here and also not an expert in judging, rating, comparing and writing in depth about all the aspects of the wonderful music, but I enjoy and appreciate a lot what many of you all are discussing and sharing here.

I kind of lost touch with the GD in the later 70s, never had any tapes and didn't like the 80s albums that much at the time - I only got back in the late 90s with box sets like So Many Roads and finally finding this place here about 5 years ago. So now I listen to almost 100% GD/Jerry and try to get the big picture - all the different eras, all the many changes, all the countless shows and special moments - and being in this process still there's always something new to discover.

Anyway thank you - from the 2 shows I saw I remember mainly the vibe - finally West Coast music in Europe - not so much exact performances of certain songs. Those I get back to by listening again today. Last year I came back to Munich and took my bike to the Deutsches Museum, where they played. It looks pretty much the same still and many memories came back, I had this crappy tape recorder and taped the show, very minor quality but at least I had ONE tape. It's long gone but now there's all the hundreds of shows to listen to...

So unfortunately I don't comment that much on the many aspects of the tour but just share a little of what I feel about it.

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Poster:	portmcgroin	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 7:34pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Amazing post will get me off the 71 kick I have been on. I don't think I have listened to the europe 72 album in like a decade I kinda forgot how good it is. I think another reason that they played so well is no new riders sets to deal with. I saw a mtv interview where Jerry said that playing multiple instruments put a strain on his playing not to mention the extra time with the acoustic sets, I personally can't tell, love those years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5dd7nyKlw8 I am looking forward to hearing some of these shows. for some reason I think I have avoided them not sure why though. The Rockin the rhein and steppin out are in pretty regular rotation though. Since checking out this sight it does seem E72 is not discussed that much. Almost forgot thanks for the time and effort.
This post was modified by portmcgroin on 2010-12-16 03:34:10

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Poster:	Diamondhead	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 9:29am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Excellent and thanks. Great way to start my day in sunny Seattle.

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Apr 25, 2010 8:48pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	APRIL

04/07/72 Wembley Empire Pool - London, GB

I ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Sugaree, Chinatown Shuffle, Me and My Uncle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Big Boss Man, Black Throated Wind, Loser, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line, Tennessee Jed, Playin' In The Band, Casey Jones

II ) Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> El Paso-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat, Ramble On Rose, Sugar Magnolia//, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: AUD sirmick.31329 flac / Steppin' Out
Sound Quality: D-/A+
Score: 92 pts*

(Both the SIRMick and Hanno/Uli audience transfers are horrendous in quality. The sirmick 31329, is a composite of two different AUD sources, both extremely over saturated among other problems. One source improves slightly during the second set. But it's still virtually unlistenable. These might be the worst sounding recordings circulating of any show from any era. Although the beginning of the first set is not intact in the vault, most of this performance is available on the Steppin' Out release or at the Taper's Section)


Official Release: Truckin'> Drums> Other One> El Paso> Other One> Wharf Rat are on Steppin' Out.

Tapers Section: Chinatown Shuffle, Me and My Uncle (9/3/07), Greatest Story Ever Told, Sugaree (8/27/07), China/Rider (8/20/07), Loser (8/13/07), Mr. Charlie (7/30/07), Ramble On Rose, Sugar Magnolia (8/6/07), Playin', NFA> GDTRFB> NFA (4/2/07)

Remarks: Originally scheduled for the Rainbow Theatre. Soundcheck Hey Bo Diddley.

Comments: Me and My Uncle was played but is missing. Sugar Magnolia is cut.


"THE DEAD STORM BRITAIN" Melody Maker Magazine

Notes: This is a difficult show to score. Both audience sources archived here are extremely poor in sound quality, rendering both transfers virtually unlistenable. Perhaps due to Wembley being a "chilly, cavernous sports facility" this performance, the first show of the tour, is not of the same caliber as many of the subsequent performances. This show has always had a rather poor reputation, however the music available from vault reel sources is excellent, particularly the jam suite on disk three of the Steppin' Out release. The first set is unremarkable, with the exception of a well played China/Rider. The second set kicks off with an excellent performance of Truckin' that includes a very nice Garcia solo. After a drum break, it segues into a superb Other One featuring a brief Me and My Uncle Jam and a very nice melodic space segment. The reprise gets quite jazzy and there is some marvelous interplay between Jerry and Keith before the second verse. Athough quite a few of the following shows on the tour feature more spectacular performances of The Other One, this one is certainly worthy of its inclusion on the official release. (92 pts*)

*If this performance was released in its entirety from vault reel masters it would garner a score in the mid-nineties!

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-04-07.aud.sirmick.31329.sbeok.flacf

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/april-6-april-12-2009






04/08/72 Wembley Empire Pool - London, GB

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, Deal, Black Throated Wind, Next Time You See Me, Cumberland Blues, Brown Eyed Women, Beat It On Down The Line, Tennessee Jed, Playin' In The Band, Good Lovin', Looks Like Rain, Casey Jones

II ) Truckin', Big Railroad Blues, It Hurts Me Too, Dark Star-> Mind Left Body Jam -> Sugar Magnolia-> Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: SBD.miller.83714 flac16 / Steppin' Out
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 99+ pts

(The sound quality of the Rolfe sourced miller.83714 flac16 is excellent. Sadly it's no longer available here. It's a brilliant recording with a particularly lively mix)


Official Release: Cumberland is on Europe '72; Looks Like Rain is a bonus track on the Europe '72 remaster; Big Railroad, It Hurts Me Too, Black Throated Wind, Saturday Night and Dark Star> Sugar Magnolia> Caution are on Steppin' Out.

Taper's Section: Dark Star> Sugar Magnolia> Caution (4/6/09)

Comments: Garcia plays pedal steel on Looks Like Rain. 12 count BIODTL. Dark Star is first verse only. Pig sings Who Do You Love During Caution.


"There's a sort of peak optimum, and right now we're at one of those peaks." Jerry Garcia - London 4/72

Notes: Apparently the band was feeling a bit warmer on this night because the second show at Wembley is certainly among the finest performances of the tour as well as a top ten of 1972. Playin' in the Band is dynamite and possibly the best performance of this song on the tour. The interplay between Jerry and Phil on this one is mindboggling! Looks Like Rain is a remarkable rendition with Jerry on the pedal steel. Cumberland Blues (on Europe '72) and a terrific Good Lovin' round out a very well played first set. The extraordinary Dark Star, with its beautiful Mind Left Body Jam, is among the very best ever performed from any era. Some of the Dark Stars performed on this tour are are celebrated for their pre-verse explorations. This one is special because of its post-verse thematic jamming. It's likely the most cohesive performance of the song on the entire tour, and rivaled only by the performance in Rotterdam. This one is compelling from start to finish and contains several breathtaking passages. The intro theme jam is lengthy and features some gorgeous chordwork by Weir before a brief, quiet transition that gets punctuated by an interesting repetitive theme initiated by Jerry. It moves quickly into a fantastic jazzy passage prior to the first verse. The post verse space segment drifts into another intense and extended jazzy movement which gets really interesting at 21:00, the band visiting several different themes before eventually going atonal. After another space segment the band locks into a phenomenal Mind Left Body Jam at 27:00. This sublime jam is one of the most beautiful pieces of music the band has ever performed, 4+ minutes of pure bliss before segueing into a dynamite Sugar Magnolia. In spite of the extraordinary Dark Star, the high point of the show just might be the smoking version of Caution, featuring some blistering Garcia leads, and a bit of slide work as well. Its amazing how quickly the band found its footing on the continent after just two performances, with a gorgeous sound and tone quite unique to this tour. (99+ pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-08.sbd.miller.83714.sbeok.flac16

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/gd1972-04-08.asx

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/april-6-april-12-2009






04/11/72 Newcastle City Hall - Newcastle, GB

I ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Deal, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Big Boss Man, Beat It On Down The Line, Sugaree, Jack Straw, Chinatown Shuffle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Playin' In The Band, Next Time You See Me, Brown Eyed Women, Looks Like Rain, Big Railroad Blues, Casey Jones

II ) Good Lovin', Ramble On Rose, Truckin'-> Jam-> Drums-> The Other One-> Comes A Time-> Sugar Magnolia, E: Brokedown Palace


Best Source: SBD jackson.smith.94377 flac16
Sound Quality: A- (hiss)
Score: 94 pts

(The sound quality of both the MR sourced jackson.smith and Giles transfers are not bad, the former being just a touch cleaner in my opinion. It's a bit muddy, with considerable hiss, and oversaturation at times, which is typical of a few of the degraded recordings from the tour. While the jackson.smith.94377 flac16 is not as brilliant as some of the better recordings from this European tour, there really is not much to complain about)


Official Release: Sugaree, Deal and Brokedown Palace are on Steppin' Out.

Taper's Section: Good Lovin' (4/9/07)

Comments: Garcia pedal steel on Looks Like Rain. 14 beat false start on BIODTL.

Truckin' > Other One Timing: Truckin' (5:03)> Jam (2:46)> Truckin' Finale (0:45)> Jam (0:40)> Other one tease (0:15) > Dreamy Jam (4:05)> Unknown theme (1:00)> take 5 Jam (3:36)> Drums (3:11)> Other one Jam (7:13)> First Verse (0:42)> Other One Jam (7:00)> Second Verse (0:48) > Comes A Time


"A municiple concrete dump, with a balcony all the way around and big, fucking, comcrete pillars that interfere with sight lines. Still, the place is packed. Thousands and thousands and thousands. Perhaps we're finally catching on." Rock Scully

Notes: Minor sound issues detract somewhat from what is otherwise another very compelling Europe '72 performance. In spite of GEMS efforts, this remains a bit hissy, though it is still by all means a very enjoyable recording. The centerpiece of this show is of course, the dynamite second set jam suite. The somewhat unspectacular first set features a great performance of Casey Jones, an excellent China/Rider, and a particularly hot Playin' in the Band. Other highlights of this fairly well played show include a terrific Good Lovin' and Sugar Magnolia. But it's during the second set that his show really cranks up. The loose Truckin' is extremely well jammed and one of the very best performances of the song. Both instrumental breaks are outstanding, particularly the second one which features an extraordinary jazzy bass driven jam. The subsequent jam after Truckin' contains a gorgeous duet between Keith and Jerry before Phil takes over just a few minutes before the drums segment, providing a rather unique and jazzy bass themed movement almost initiating The Other One. This one is structured somewhat like the Dark Stars of the period; an exploraratory pre-verse intro that covers quite a bit of ground, then explores multiple themes before melting down into space, finally revisiting the main theme prior to the second verse conclusion. It's a top notch effort that includes some brief Caution licks and a beautiful Feelin' Groovy Jam. A precursor to the amazing performances to come. (94 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-11.sbd.jackson.smith.94377.sbeok.flac16






04/14/72 Tivolis Koncertsal - København, DK

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, You Win Again, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser, Me And Bobby McGee, Cumberland Blues, Playin' In The Band, Tennessee Jed, El Paso, Big Boss Man, Beat It On Down The Line, Casey Jones

II ) Truckin', It Hurts Me Too, Brown Eyed Women, Looks Like Rain, Dark Star-> Sugar Magnolia, Good Lovin'-> Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)-> Who Do You Love-> Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)-> Good Lovin', Ramble On Rose, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away, E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: FM/SBD ashley-field.34931 flac16
Sound Quality: A
Score: 100 pts

(Excellent soundboard, audience and FM sources circulate for this performance. Both the miller-repitched.76006.flac16 and the MR sourced bertha/ashley transfer are superb in quality)


Official Release: Brown Eyed Women is on Europe '72. Good Lovin'> Caution> Who Do You Love> Caution> Good Lovin' is on the Europe '72 remaster.

Comments: Garcia pedal steel on Looks Like Rain.

Dark Star Timing: theme (4:00) > Jam (2:00) > Space (1:30) > Jam on DS theme (3:00) > Space (4:00) > Jam on DS theme (2:00) > First Verse (2:00) > Space (0:30) > Jam (3:00) > Jam on Feeling Groovy theme (3:00) > Space with sputnik hints (4:00) > Sugar Magnolia


Notes: Walt Disney got his inspiration for Disneyland after visiting Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. Apparently the Grateful Dead were also inspired by the venue, this gold standard show is not only a contender for the best performance of the tour, it's likely among the best shows ever performed by the band. Both intense and energetic, the show is brilliant from start to finish. Virtually every song is a standout. Although less than 12 minutes in length, Playin' in the Band is a frenzied psychedelic effort and Brown Eyed Women, featured on Europe '72 is dynamite as well. Looks Like Rain is a remarkable rendition with Jerry on the pedal steel. Naturally the highlight of this performance is the Dark Star, with a gorgeous Feelin' Groovy Jam. The pre-verse jamming is intensely beautiful. Things start to move quickly after the verse, with a rather jazzy segment before Jerry again taps the 57th Street Bridge theme. This time it's at a faster pace before it slows down and rumbles into space, finally breaking down before an abrupt transition into Sugar Magnolia with Garcia sustaining a note deep into the Sugar Mag intro. Of course the Good Lovin'/Caution sandwich is also a treasure. It's very psychelelic and well jammed, the rap by Pig one of his finest moments on the tour. Although the Bertha-Ashley sound quality of this lively mixed performance is excellent, just a touch cleaner perhaps than the newer Miller remaster in my opinion, this incredible performance deserves to be an official release! (100 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-14.sbd.ashley-field.34931.sbeok.flac16






04/16/72 Stakladen, Aarhus University - Aarhus, DK

I ) Greatest Story Ever Told, Sugaree, Chinatown Shuffle, Black Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Mexicali Blues, Loser, Next Time You See Me, Playin' In The Band, Dire Wolf

II ) Good Lovin', Cumberland Blues, El Paso, Deal, Truckin'-> The Other One Jam-> Me and My Uncle-> The Other One-> Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away//


Best Source: SBD hanno.19861 shnf (1st set) / SBD miller.18103 shnf (complete)
Sound Quality: B/A-
Score: 94 pts

(The first set is only available in rather poor quality. The second set sounds better, though still suffers some oversaturation. Although the miller.18103 shnf is complete, the hanno.19861 shnf partial of the first set might be a touch better in sound quality for that portion of the performance)


Taper's Section: Greatest Story, Sugaree, China/Rider (6/4/07), Truckin'> Jam> Me and My Uncle> Other One (4/16/07)

Comments: There are a number of cuts during the first set. Uncle John's Band and Caution were not played. The Other One is first verse only. Cut at the end of NFA.


Notes: Although the first set suffers from several tragic cuts and is rather poor in sound quality, the band must have felt comfortable performing in the low ceilinged university cafeteria. The second set of this performance is another amazing gem. A well jammed Good Lovin' precedes a smokey performance of Truckin'. With some brilliant soloing, Jerry just rips through both instrumental breaks. It's certainly one of the best performances of Truckin' on the tour, in spite of a couple vocal miscues. There is a remarkable passage during the very last part of the segue into the very uniquely jammed Other One. Bobby and Phil briefly lock in on a rather facinating theme which is later revisited several times during The Other One Jam. This is an atypicaly structured performance of The Other One. It contains several rather quiet passages and is played largely without any drums. One of the intense segments occurs during the early stage of the jam. First Jerry and Phil collaberate before Keith eventually chimes in. Deep into the jam, the Other One theme loosely resurfaces. Weir again slashes those similar leads, continuing to exploit the previous theme with Phil. Finally Billy returns to the stage and the band segues into a short but sweet Me and My Uncle before the band finally gets around to the first verse of The Other One. Two and a half minutes later its on to a short but sweet NFA> GDTRFB> NFA suite and this one is in the books. (94 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-04-16.sbd.pset1.hanno.19861.sbeok.shnf

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-04-16.sbd.miller.18103.sbeok.shnf

http://www.dead.net/features/tapers-section/april-16-april-22-2007






04/17/1972 Tivolis Koncertsal - København, DK

I ) Cold Rain & Snow, Me And Bobby McGee, Chinatown Shuffle, Sugaree, Black Throated Wind, Mr. Charlie, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Jack Straw, He's Gone, Next Time You See Me, Playin' In The Band

II ) Casey Jones One More Saturday Night, It Hurts Me Too, Ramble On Rose, El Paso, Big Railroad Blues, Truckin'

III ) Dark Star-> Sugar Magnolia-> Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)-> Johnny B. Goode


Best Source: Video/SBD ashley-field.34032 .sbeok.flac16
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 96 pts

(Despite some isolated digi-noise, the sound quality of the MR bertha-ashley remaster from the 16 track master reel source is superb!)


Comments: Excellent video of a portion of this performance circulates from a French/Danish television broadcast. Set list may be out of order. First He's Gone. Saturday Night is likely an encore.


Notes: An outstanding performance, including some great playing by Weir, two sets of which are immortalized in an excellent video from a European television broadcast. It features superb sound quality and a gorgeous soaring Dark Star with a beautiful segue into Sugar Magnolia. Although the songs from the first two sets don't get stretched out much, perhaps due to the television broadcast, everything is particularly well played, particularly the China/Rider, an excellent Big Railroad Blues (the performance where the band wears the Bozo masks for this number), and a classic styled performance of Casey Jones. While this 30+ minute Dark Star is not quite as brilliant as some of the monumental efforts that follow, it is still a stunning effort, largely due to some great work by Keith. The pre-verse intro is simply beautiful. Right from the opening notes there is some beautiful interplay between Jerry and Keith, though it eventually breaks down. After several attempts, Jerry re-establishes the theme and pulls it back together. Immediately after the verse there is a lilting duet between Jerry and Billy, though this too is unsustained. Following some rumbling from Phil, this one briefly gets quiet, and then the magic starts. At about 24:00, Weir steers the band into a gorgeous and jazzy jam similar to WRS. Its amazingly sublime, the entire ensemble locking in on the theme for several minutes before a thrilling segue into Sugar Magnolia. An excellent performance of Caution follows, the beginning of which is particularly jazzy. This is a gem of a show and the video is fun to watch! (96 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-17.sbd.ashley-field.34032.sbeok.flac16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOXPVRLpoQA&feature=related






04/21/72 Beat Club - Bremen, DE

Bertha, Playin' In The Band, Mr. Charlie, Sugaree, Truckin'-> The Other One, One More Saturday Night


Best source: FM/SBD vernon.9380.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: B+/A-
Score: 89 pts

(The degraded Vernon FM soundboard recording is rather poor. It suffers from oversaturation, distortion, hiss and pitch issues)


Comments: Performance for German television. Loser and Black Throated Wind are from the soundcheck. Mr. Charlie, Sugaree and Saturday Night are missing.

The Other One Timing: transition (0:45) > Drums (1:27)> the Other one (5:16) > verse 1 (0:42) > the Other one (1:07)> Space (4:48) > Other one Jam (3:10)> verse 2 (0:47) > Space (2:43) > Jam (3:23)


"The Beat Club, a kind of disco joint managed by straightlaced, technical little German shits. 'You vill do it zis vay!' The Grateful Dead follow the rules? Good fucking luck, dudes!" Rock Scully

Notes: Perhaps the weakest performance of the European tour. Not particularly well played and the sound quality is somewhat problematic. Still, the short Playin' in the Band is a decent performance while The 23 minute Other One has its moments and contains a couple of interesting passages, the most compelling of which are a brief melodic jam immediately after the intro and a particularly intense Garcia solo starting around the 13 minute mark. (89 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-04-21.fm.vernon.9380.sbeok.shnf






04/24/72 Rheinhalle - Duesseldorf, DE

I ) Truckin', Tennessee Jed, Chinatown Shuffle, Black Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line, Loser, Playin' In The Band, Next Time You See Me, Me And Bobby McGee, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) He's Gone, It Hurts Me Too, El Paso, Dark Star-> Me & My Uncle-> Dark Star-> Wharf Rat-> Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> Not Fade Away E: One More Saturday Night


Best Source: Rockin' the Rhein
Sound Quality: A/A+
Score: 99+ pts

(The complete performance is avalable in HD from 16 track on the Rockin' the Rhine official release. The sound quality is naturally superb, although it might fall just a bit short of other commercial releases)


Comments: Dark Star is first verse only.

Official Release: The entire performance is on Rockin' the Rhein.


Notes: The first of a triumvirate of exceptional performances in Germany. Prior to this show being officially released as Rockin" the Rhein, it was not regarded as a particularly strong performance. We now know it to be one of the best of the tour. It's a superb performance from start to finish. The 17+ minute Good Lovin' is exceptionally well jammed. Other highlights include a well played (particularly by Weir) Tennessee Jed and a great He's Gone. The 40 minute Dark Star, immortalized in dynamic vault remastered sound quality, is simply dynamite. It's argueably one of the finest performances of the song to be officially released by the band. The eleven minutes of pre-verse jamming is superb. A gorgeous intro theme featuring some stunning piano work by Keith prefaces a wild, spacey Garcia led passage. Immediately after the verse an orbital jam precedes another extraordinary space segment, with Garcia sustaining notes like Carlos Santana. Sixteen minutes in, Jerry and Keith again get together in a nice jazzy movement before things once more get wild and crazy. The following space jam segment might be the finest of the tour. Finally Weir slashes in. It's almost a surprise when the band slips into Me and My Uncle. Another lovely duet between Jerry and Keith developes after the cowboy song, Weir providing some interesting fills. Then an almost a MMU Jam developes, but again the music gets spacey. Seven minutes into the Dark Star reprise the main theme briefly emerges before Weir steers the band into a different theme. The following extended passage is extraordinary as Jerry takes over and the ensemble locks in before segueing seamlessly into an emotive rendition of Wharf Rat. Another short but well played NFA> GDTRFB> NFA suite is an excellent conclusion to this phenomenal performance. (99+ pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-24.aud.unknown.6956.sbeok.shnf

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/gd1972-04-24.asx






04/26/72 Jahrhunderthalle - Frankfurt, DE

I ) Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Mr. Charlie, He's Gone, Black Throated Wind, Next Time You See Me, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Jack Straw, Big Railroad Blues, Playin' In The Band, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser, Beat It On Down The Line, You Win Again, Good Lovin', Dire Wolf

II ) Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Comes A Time-> Sugar Magnolia, El Paso, Tennessee Jed, Greatest Story Ever Told, Two Souls In Communion, Casey Jones, Turn On Your Love Light-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> One More Saturday Night


Best Source: Hundred Year Hall / SBD vernon.9197.sbeok.shnf (outtakes)
Sound Quality: A+/A
Score: 99 pts

(Much of this performance is available on the 16 track recorded Hundred Year Hall release. It's sonically perfect. The sound quality of the MR sourced vernon partial soundboard is also excellent)


Comments: sbd.vernon.9197 is the best source for the tracks not included on Hundred Year Hall.

Official Release: Bertha, Me & My Uncle, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Jack Straw, Big Railroad Blues, Playin' In The Band, Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Comes A Time-> Sugar Magnolia, Turn On Your Love Light-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> One More Saturday Night are on Hundred Year Hall


Notes: Another extraordinary concert preserved in pristine vault remastered sound quality. Unfortunately the Hundred Year Hall release does not contain the entire performance. Even worse, the songs included are out of sequence. Still, the 16 track sound quality is phenomenal, with the balance of the show available on the excellent quality Matt Vernon remastered soundboard. Performed before a rather stoic German audience, it's still one of the strongest shows of the tour. This one rocks and features a phenomenal performance of the Other One. It's certainly the most up-beat if not the best performance of the song in Europe. Virtually every song in this show is extremely well played, particularly Bertha, Playin' in the Band, Good Lovin' and Dire Wolf. One More Saturday Night is possibly a best ever performance and Lovelight is exceptional as well. It's one of Pigpen's finest moments on this tour. The second set jam suite kicks off the second set with a great version of Truckin' both instrumental breaks of which are very well jammed. The later features a nice jazzy drum segment before Billy hammers out the intro to The Other One which is a tour de force performance. Listen to this one at maximum volume to get the most out of it! The blistering introduction lasts a full eight minutes, the band completely locked in before moving on to a space segment. Twelve minutes in Phil initiates the Other One theme, continuing to drive the jam after the first verse and through another space jam that follows. At 18:30 Lesh directs the band into an interesting jazzy theme with Weir slashing along before yet another spacial jam. Things start to get scary when Phil starts dropping bombs behind screeching feedback from Jerry. At 26:40 Weir starts a Spanish Jam but Jerry is having none of that, continuing the long feedback runs. Gradually emerging out of the smoldering wreckage, Jerry briefly hints at Caution before initiating an amazing guitar passage at 30:40. This uniquejam lasts about three minutes before Garcia rips back into the second verse theme. The balance of the set is packed with more great music, concluding with the Lovelight into GDTRFB sans NFA. (99 pts)

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-26.sbd.vernon.9197.sbeok.shnf

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/gd1972-04-26.asx






04/29/72 Musikhalle - Hamburg, DE

I ) Playin' In The Band, Sugaree, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Big Boss Man, Jack Straw, Loser, Chinatown Shuffle, Me & My Uncle, Big Railroad Blues, Good Lovin', Casey Jones

II ) Greatest Story Ever Told, He's Gone, Next Time You See Me, Dark Star-> Sugar Magnolia-> Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks), E: One More Saturday Night, E: Uncle John's Band


Best Source: SBD sirmick.32877.sbeok.flac16 / AUD vernon.5250.sbeok.shnf
Sound Quality: B+/A-
Score: 94 pts*

(The sirmick.32877.sbeok.flac16 is a muddy, dull and degraded soundboard recording suffering from hiss, pitch issues and oversaturation. The vernon.5250.sbeok.shnf is a decent quality audience recording. Among all the recordings and their matrices, the Matt Vernon AUD might be your best bet. Take your pick. Both recordings are rather challenging to enjoy. However, the more you put into listening to this performance, the more you will get out of it!)


Comments: Dark Star is first verse only. Who Do You Love was not played.

Taper's Section: Good Lovin' (12/3/07)

Dark Star Timing: Dark Star theme/jam (4:38) >spacey Jam (1:42) "happy" Jam (1:27) > spacey Jam (5:54) > Dark Star, first verse (1:54) > theme (1:05) > Space with drummers > Sugar Magnolia


Notes: This rather interesting performance starts out quite a bit differently from the shows that precede it, with a nice jazzy and explorarory 9+ minute Playin' in the Band. However the balance of the first set is not noteworthy and with the exception of a dynamite rendition of Good Lovin' is somewhat less compelling. Sadly both the AUD and SBD sources, as well as the subsequent matrices are fair to poor in quality. Otherwise this show would certainly garner a higher score. This is unfortunate because the second set really heats up with another excellent Dark Star. This 30 minute spacey performance, though not quite as exceptional as several of the masterpieces from earlier in the month, soars from the opening notes. This performance features some dynamite interplay during the extended pre-verse theme intro, with some rather cool percussion sounds. Though much of this version is atonal, there are a couple of dynamite jazzy passages, with a nice Feelin' Groovy Jam starting about 7:20. There is also a fantastic jazzy segment loosely based around a Caution theme that starts around 22:00. Keith in particular really shines on this performance, contributing some of his finest work on this tour. The segue out of Dark Star is atypically abrupt as the band leaves deep space for a particularly hot version of Sugar Magnolia, followed by another excellent performance of Caution. It's really a shame about the sound quality of this one. (94 pts*)

*An excellent performance that would garner a score in the upper 90's if only the sound quality was better!

http://www.archive.org/details/gd1972-04-29.sbd.sirmick.32877.sbeok.flac16

http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-04-29.aud.vernon.5250.sbeok.shnf

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Poster:	elbow1126	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:50pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

These shows are starting to re-seed at LL as part of their '72 project. I cleared have some extra drive space and intend to grab a few that i don't already have. This repost will help guide the way. Thanks again.

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Poster:	Finster!	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 6:36am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Currently checking out 5/3 based on your reccomend of best sound quality as well as most underated. Like what I am hearing so far. '72 is not a year I frequent often for some reason....not sure why, as I do like it. Like you, not as much as '73-'74 though. BTW...thanks for posting. Obviously alot of time and effort went into this!!
This post was modified by Finster Baby on 2010-04-26 13:36:33

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Poster:	daliguana	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 7:13am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 26, 2010 7:50pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

A few thoughts -

I think the Europe '72 tour does get quite a bit of attention (on this forum and elsewhere)....proportionately, probably as much or more as any other 2-month timespan in the Dead's career. It's kind of like 1977 - there's hardly any 'neglected' shows in this corner!
And as far as releases, you could even say quite a lot of the E72 tour has been released, considering the repetitiveness of the setlists....even disregarding the original triple album, there's two German shows and one UK 4-CD set, and very likely more to come. (So that's almost as much as some other periods Latvala liked, like Sep '72, fall '73, or summer '74.)
One reason we don't get very frequent releases is because this is multitrack, so those tend to get 'saved' for future Vault releases (perhaps even box-set treatment) - if these had been just 2-track, you can be sure Latvala would have tried to get a few more of these shows out, but he wasn't involved with multitracks.

Like you, I'd most like to see 4/29/72 as a release, since it would be such a huge upgrade; 5/25 would also be excellent as that show is awe-inspiring. (I think the medley from that almost got picked for a fifth CD on the Steppin' Out release, until they cut it to 4 CDs.) And I'm certain 4/17/72 will get the CD/DVD treatment someday, like all these '89 shows. (Maybe not so soon, though.) And of course there's room for any number of box sets within this tour. (Or, just as likely, the hack-two-shows-down-to-two-CDs Road Trips approach....)

As far as the lack of extended thematic jamming - well, lots of '73/74 shows don't really have that either. What we have in early '72 is this freshness & excitement...jams don't come out of nowhere like they would a couple years later, but they're different & very exploratory every night. (EVERY night - this is one of the few tours after early '69 where they decided to give every audience the works!)
I think it was said before in this forum, '72 can be seen as a kind of 'middle-ground' year (not a good way to put it, I know) - you still get some of that high energy of earlier years, combined with some of the long, jazzy explorations of the next two years. Or to put it another way, Pigpen crossed with Keith - something for everyone to like.

I'd agree that Keith is an important reason for the band's excitement & creativity in this year. Some folks seem to think he was a nonentity, just along for the ride & staying in the background... I can't really prove or define it, but I think his style heavily influenced the band's sound & the jamming directions they took, from Oct '71 into the next 4-5 years - he makes huge contributions, and the others respond. (And his piano's a big part of the very natural-sounding, clear tones they preferred in these years.)

This tour came soon after the upswing of fall '71 - those were pretty exciting shows as well, perhaps even more 'fun' and energetic. Those who've listened to the Academy of Music show can tell, though, the jamming really does hit a new level on this tour - I can't explain that; I'm not sure how much rehearsal time they had between, say, 3/28 and 4/7. (Could they rehearse at all between shows in Europe??) Rolling tape for an album doesn't seem to have constrained them at all, nor the small crowds curious about this hairy American doper band... The relaxed environment didn't take away their focus (the way it sometimes did in the short Europe '74 tour). This sounds like a band determined to prove itself, perhaps because they're not on 'home turf'.

I'm not sure if it's THAT much more consistent a peak than, say, Aug to Nov '72, or for that matter many months in '73. One thing hidden by the Dead's reputation is that they were, after all, a consistent band of professionals. They did not, as some claim, fall on their faces every other show - especially in these years - almost every night, you were pretty much guaranteed a good show.
That said, in some US shows you do get a more subdued, 'nothing-special-tonight' feeling, where the jams aren't really happening... It's one of the perils of improvising, and in Europe, whether it was the excitement of discovering new material or a shared goal of simply playing at the top of their skills, they didn't get many of those off-nights.

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Poster:	Cliff Hucker	Date:	Apr 28, 2010 7:20am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

"I think the Europe '72 tour does get quite a bit of attention (on this forum andelsewhere)....proportionately, probably as much or more as any other 2-month timespan in the Dead's career."

Youre obviously wrong about that point. This thread being a perfect axample. There is much more discussion here at this forum about much more compelling topics, like the best version of "Take You Home" from 1988...

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Poster:	elbow1126	Date:	Apr 28, 2010 8:25am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Hey I have mentioned this several times before including to LiA regarding the feedback on his posts. These big posts are wonderful sources of information but they never generate a lot of discussion or anywhere near the feedback as a post that asks for the "best version of whatever." I am not sure why that is, other than unless someone has already done as much work as you they are probably not in a great position to discuss the topic. Which is why i thought LiA's initial comment about not being in the mood to discuss a big thread but thanking you was actually pretty amusing. I can't comment on many of the shows you listened to because I haven't listened yet or maybe listened only once and by definition it makes it hard for me to say "no cliff, i think this is a better Dark Star etc" if I haven't heard the one you picked. Of course in the case of favorite DS I did mention in your thread about 4-8-72 a few weeks ago that I do like that one better than 5-11-72 and why i did, so I didn't feel like repeating myself. I guess today I do feel like repeating myself!

I suspect if someone tried to do one of these uber-posts about a 1988 tour they would get the same or even less of a response. Likewise if someone asked for the best version of Bird Song from 1972-74 they would get more interest than a best Take You Home thread. I love me a little Bird Song from Aug/Sept '72.

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Poster:	light into ashes	Date:	Apr 28, 2010 11:20am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

Hmm, I don't recall that much discussion about '88!

I still stand by my words...that E72 does get mentioned about as much as any tour...and way more than some. Actually Cliff got quite a few responses. (But you know, when you put so much time into a post, you always hope for a bit more in response!)
And, if anyone's REALLY curious about which eras get discussed the most here, that's the kind of thing that can be statistically settled - you can just go through all the posts here for a month, or a few, and count up the years / # of posters... Otherwise we're just going impressionistically.

Elbow also makes a good point about 'discussability' - questions like 'what's the best so & so' or 'what drugs was Jerry on', etc, will always get the most discussion. Sometimes review-posts or 'listen to this' posts just kind of die unnoticed. On the other hand, sometimes just the right question brings out a whole horde of people.
It's kind of random really - who's online that day, whether any newcomers are around with new things to say, or who might've listened to the posted topic recently....

Like personally, I haven't listened to a lot of those E72 shows in years - too much Dead, too little time - so I can't talk about that tour as in-depth as I might like (versus my long replies if someone posts about, oh, '67-70). And a lot of my listening lately is aimed at years I'm not so familiar with (like 78, 80, 84), but those are years I don't feel like saying anything about.

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Poster:	ringolevio	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:39pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

"And, if anyone's REALLY curious about which eras get discussed the most here, that's the kind of thing that can be statistically settled - you can just go through all the posts here for a month, or a few, and count up the years / # of posters... "

But you really can't tell anything that way because so many threads, um, diverge to other topics (deteriorate or self-destruct, often ...) that just because there's x number of posts under that title, doesn't mean that is what people were talking about. Just sayin'.

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Poster:	fenario80	Date:	Dec 15, 2010 5:36pm
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: Europe '72 Notebook

That is a mitzvah - L'chaim and mazel tov!